Putin promises to cut traffic privileges for officials
Source: Agencies |
February 8, 2012, Wednesday
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RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday pledged to cut traffic privileges for officials, who routinely bypass Moscow's notorious traffic jams by ignoring basic rules of the road and even driving into oncoming lanes.
The privileges are a strong irritant for Muscovites, who have increasingly expressed their discontent with Putin's policies and widespread government corruption, endangering his chances of sweeping to a third term as president after a March 4 election.
Traffic in Moscow gets routinely stopped every day to clear the road for the speeding motorcades carrying Putin, President Dmitry Medvedev and even visiting foreign dignitaries. Roads can be closed for as long as an hour in the anticipation of the motorcade to flash past. Irritated Muscovites express their frustration with the passing officials by honking their horns.
Putin promised to make a "drastic cut" in the number of officials entitled to traffic privileges to "a few dozens," Russia news agencies reported. Putin was having a day off from his duties yesterday, meeting with his campaign representatives.
There are currently nearly 890 officials in Moscow who keep blue flashing lights on their vehicles, allowing them to ignore traffic rules. The expected cut would not affect Putin himself, the prime minister, parliament speakers and a few other top officials.
As Moscow roads are getting busier, the blue flashing lights have become a metaphor for corrupt officials abusing their power. Activists have over recent years named and shamed scores of officials and top executives for using the privileges that they're not even entitled to.
Road accidents involving cars with special privileges have caused public outrage in recent years.
A deadly collision in Moscow's southwest in 2010 when the car of an oil executive killed two female passengers in a car in an oncoming lane led to a boycott of the oil company's gas stations.
The oil executive was cleared of charges, but activists insisted that he had jumped into the oncoming lane.
The privileges are a strong irritant for Muscovites, who have increasingly expressed their discontent with Putin's policies and widespread government corruption, endangering his chances of sweeping to a third term as president after a March 4 election.
Traffic in Moscow gets routinely stopped every day to clear the road for the speeding motorcades carrying Putin, President Dmitry Medvedev and even visiting foreign dignitaries. Roads can be closed for as long as an hour in the anticipation of the motorcade to flash past. Irritated Muscovites express their frustration with the passing officials by honking their horns.
Putin promised to make a "drastic cut" in the number of officials entitled to traffic privileges to "a few dozens," Russia news agencies reported. Putin was having a day off from his duties yesterday, meeting with his campaign representatives.
There are currently nearly 890 officials in Moscow who keep blue flashing lights on their vehicles, allowing them to ignore traffic rules. The expected cut would not affect Putin himself, the prime minister, parliament speakers and a few other top officials.
As Moscow roads are getting busier, the blue flashing lights have become a metaphor for corrupt officials abusing their power. Activists have over recent years named and shamed scores of officials and top executives for using the privileges that they're not even entitled to.
Road accidents involving cars with special privileges have caused public outrage in recent years.
A deadly collision in Moscow's southwest in 2010 when the car of an oil executive killed two female passengers in a car in an oncoming lane led to a boycott of the oil company's gas stations.
The oil executive was cleared of charges, but activists insisted that he had jumped into the oncoming lane.
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