Ponomaryov: Russian Civil Society Needs More Contacts with Europe

Ponomaryov noted that while the Russian president and prime minister have made good friends in the West, the communication between Russian and European civil society movements should be more active.

“We need to convince people in Russia that only democracy can guarantee a sustainable economic development but our message doesn’t get heard through the mass media,” Ponomaryov said. “I dream of a public debate between Vladimir Putin and Garri Kasparov on an official media channel,” he referred to the famous opposition leader and chess champion.

According to Ponomaryov, the visa regime liberalization between the European Union and Russia would be highly beneficial as Russians could then see that people in European democracies live better than they do. He called the current regime in Russia an ’imitation of democracy’, characterized by the total control of the security services over business, media and state institutions, and little respect for human rights.

“Russia has become criminal but I believe this can be overcome by democratic institutions,” the human rights activist underlined.

Lev Ponomaryov is the leader of the movement For Human Rights, member of the Moscow Helsinki Group and a former member of the Russian State Duma.

The English summary of Ponomaryov’s lecture in Tallinn is available herebelow.