Another person of the kind came out to defend Khodorkovsky and attack Putin and the Russian authority, and expressed deep "worry" about Russia's democracy.
We remember that Soros was also very active in Russia in early 1990s when the country's large chunks of wealth and properties were amassed on the cheap by the "smart" group.
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Russia May Be Heading for 'State Capitalism'-Soros
Tue November 4, 2003 10:02 AM ET
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian businessmen may have to take their orders from the state after the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the nation's richest tycoon, billionaire financier George Soros was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
"Russia may now be entering a phase of state capitalism, where all the owners of capital realize that they are dependent on the state," Soros told Yevgeny Kiselyev, editor of Moskovsky Novosti, a weekly acquired recently by Khodorkovsky.
Khodorkovsky, former head of Russian oil major YUKOS, was arrested at gunpoint 10 days ago and charged on seven counts of fraud and tax evasion.
"Persecution of Khodorkovsky ... sends an unmistakable message, that nobody can be independent of the state," Soros said.
Khodorkovsky stepped down as YUKOS chief executive on Monday after prosecutors froze his shares in the company last week, effectively preventing him from negotiating their sale to another company.
The assault on Khodorkovsky and some of his associates, who make up a group of core shareholders in the company, is widely believed to have been orchestrated by Kremlin hard-liners apparently alarmed by Khodorkovsky's political ambitions.
"I believe that he acted within the constraints of the law in supporting political parties. I am doing the same in the United States," said Soros.
Accusations against Khodorkovsky, which have their roots in a sell-off of state assets at bargain prices in the 1990s, could be leveled against any of the so-called "oligarchs" who have enriched themselves since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"Since practically everybody in Russia broke the law during the turbulent years following the collapse of the Soviet system, the Russian president can prosecute whoever he chooses," said Soros.
The oil magnate's arrest also appeared to have electoral appeal, said Soros. Most Russians live in poverty and only a relatively small minority, mostly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, have enjoyed improved living standards in recent years. "Undoubtedly, this may be very popular with the electorate, since people harbor justified resentment against the oligarchs. But Khodorkovsky was the most enlightened among them."
Campaigning for December elections to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, started this week and presidential elections, which President Vladimir Putin is expected to win comfortably, are due in March 2004.
"He (Khodorkovsky) led the way from 'robber capitalism' to more legitimate capitalism. By cracking down on Mr. Khodorkovsky the development of legitimate capitalism is now interrupted," he added.
reuters.com |
