On August 18, IA TASS hosted a press conference dedicated to the pre-election program of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the party’s proposals for the revival of the country on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the State Emergency Committee. The press conference was attended by Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, head of the Communist Party faction in the State Duma G.A. Zyuganov, Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party D.G. Novikov, pilot-cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee S.E. Savitskaya, member of the Presidium, secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation M.V. Drobot, member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation A.N. Ivachev, secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation A.A. Yushchenko.
Opening the press conference, G.A. Zyuganov addressed the journalists with an opening speech:
– These days mark exactly thirty years since Mikhail Gorbachev, who was elected president of the USSR a year and a half earlier, betrayed our country, betrayed the ideals of socialism, betrayed friends and allies and joined the “fifth column” that destroyed a great power, the first in the world the state of workers and peasants, the society of socialism. This betrayal turned out to be a great tragedy and disaster for all of us. And today, thirty years later, we are obliged to take stock, realizing that all the main troubles, misfortunes and tragedies experienced by every Russian family, our country and the entire planet as a whole, in many respects come from those fateful times.
For me, as a person who participated in all these events, who took measures together with the Communist Party of the RSFSR to stop this betrayal, it is especially important to remind you of a whole series of events of that era. Indeed, without fundamental assessments and conclusions, we cannot get out of the systemic crisis into which the so-called liberal reforms have driven the Russian Federation.
I also want to emphasize that the plan for the destruction of our country was developed not by the traitors Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Yakovlev, Shevardnadze, but by the American special services. It was called the Harvard Project. Moreover, the first chapter of this project was called “Perestroika”, the second – “Reforms”, the third – “Liquidation.” And now we have come to the third stage, the elimination, when our country was imposed on all sides by sanctions, when the NATO noose is tightening the throat of our country more and more, when its financial and economic situation is deteriorating every day.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the RSFSR Communist Party was created a year before the tragic events. If we managed to create it even a year earlier, we would have saved the country from this cataclysm.
In April 1991, as a member of the Politburo of the RSFSR Communist Party, together with the first secretaries under the leadership of Polozkov, I invited Gorbachev to a meeting with leading experts and leaders. There we outlined our program on how to stop this collapse. After all, the CPSU was destroyed not just as a party, but as a system of state and political administration. Gorbachev listened, agreed with our proposals, but in conclusion did not express any position.
After that I published three articles in Sovetskaya Rossiya. The first one was called “It’s not too late.” It was a direct appeal to business executives and production workers with a complete analysis of the situation in the financial and economic area. After all, the country continued to slide into the abyss, ties were destroyed, thieves’ cooperation paralyzed entire collectives, and the “fifth column” in fact did not allow large consignments of not only industrial but also food products to reach the Moscow markets.
After that, I was forced to prepare an open appeal to the entire party “Architect at the Ruins”. Members of the Politburo discussed me twice for him, and the entire liberal press called me an opponent of perestroika and a conservative who does not want transformations. Then I told them that they no longer have perestroika, but there is a shootout and the destruction of a thousand-year-old state. Unfortunately, no conclusions were drawn even after this appeal.
Then the “Word to the People”, which I was preparing, was published. It was signed, among other things, by the commanders: Varennikov – by the Ground Forces and Gromov – by the internal troops. We then directly addressed the people with the words that we must preserve the country, preserve the results of the referendum on the preservation of the USSR and the socialist system.
Unfortunately, many of those who were obliged to hear us either rested, or passed exams, or basked on the beaches. And as a result, at the end of the year, the country was treacherously liquidated by the trinity gathered in Bialowieza.
Thirty years have passed, and the results are clear to everyone today. Indeed, in seventy years of Soviet power, we have gone from a disintegrated empire to the most powerful, most educated, scientifically and technically prepared state. At that time, every third passenger in the world flew on our planes, every second or third scientist worked in Soviet institutes. Every citizen felt socially protected. And everyone was guaranteed free education, medical care, work, and more. But today there is none of this.
Therefore, I officially appeal to all citizens of the country with an appeal: to realize that, following the path of Belovezhskaya traitors, scoundrels, thieves and swindlers, it is impossible to get out of this systemic crisis. And in September there will be only two options: either the socialization of life, or further decomposition and fascization. When corruption, covered by the law enforcement agencies, will prevail throughout the country.
I think the second option is absolutely unacceptable. Therefore, I propose to draw the appropriate conclusions and once again carefully read our Program “Ten Steps to the Power of the People.” This is a peaceful, democratic way to lead the country out of a severe and deep crisis.
Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation D.G. Novikov noted that the Communist Party managed to withstand information pressure, and sometimes direct repression, not only thanks to the preservation of traditions, the presence of a large number of like-minded people and an orientation towards social justice, but also due to intensive work, including analytical work. “We assess the situation soberly,” he said, “soberly capable of assessing the volume of any resource, our own and our opponents. Obviously, the authorities always have more resources. And therefore, the behest of the outstanding philosopher Alexander Zinoviev is of key importance to us: “to change your mind about the enemy.”
In this regard, Dmitry Georgievich stressed that, apart from popular support, a harmonious structure and a verified ideology, the party has no other resources.
Assessing the events of 30 years ago, D.G. Novikov emphasized the importance of identifying their root causes. He recalled the documentary film “Gennady Zyuganov” prepared by the Krasnaya Liniya TV channel, which analyzes the events of that era. At the same time, the speaker noted the great depth of comprehension in this video material in comparison with similar reports prepared by the leading TV channels.
Dmitry Georgievich also mentioned the article by G.A. Zyuganov “Thirty years of betrayal: bitter lessons and horizons of revival”, which not only characterizes the events of 1991, but also discusses the issues of the country’s economic life, analyzes the losses incurred by the national economy. Drawing parallels with the first three decades of Soviet power, as well as with 1990, he clearly demonstrated the destructive nature of liberal reforms.
Especially the Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party noted the importance of the program document of the Communist Party “Ten Steps to the Power of the People.” “It shows not only our goals and objectives, but also the mechanisms, in what ways we plan to reach the milestones indicated in this document,” the speaker emphasized.
In conclusion, D.G. Novikov recalled that the last member of the State Emergency Committee, Oleg Baklanov, had just passed away. He noted that during the memorial service, many speakers expressed their approval of the position that the statesman took in 1991. “This turned out to be his main merit in the eyes of people,” stressed Dmitry Georgievich.
Communist deputy S.E. Savitskaya also remembered Oleg Baklanov, describing him as a patriot who could not calmly look at the collapse of the country and the destruction of its industrial potential. She expressed the opinion that the economic, food and political crisis of the last years of the existence of the USSR was created artificially. “All this was very competently, professionally prepared by those who came with Gorbachev, who directed and turned him around,” the speaker emphasized, noting that the people in those years turned out to be fooled and did not understand what was happening.
Assessing the members of the Emergency Committee, Svetlana Evgenievna expressed the opinion that they were the ones who fought to save the country, professionals in the industries they led. But at the same time, they were not politicians capable of taking decisive measures, since they continued to rely on Gorbachev. “You can never follow the lead even of a recognized leader,” S.Ye. Savitskaya, calling for a critical assessment of the actions of people, including those in leadership positions.
The communist deputy recalled that on August 18, the Soviet Union celebrated Aviation Day, established in 1933. She said that the liberals not only canceled the old holidays, but also purposefully led the case to the destruction of the army and its material base, including the aerospace industry. And only the Communist Party of the Russian Federation continuously continued the struggle to preserve the production and scientific potential, in the end forcing the state to finance defense enterprises and the creation of advanced equipment.
“Even without having a majority, we are still fighting in certain areas that are most important for the country, and we are achieving results,” S. Ye. Savitskaya. She called on voters to support the Communist Party team so that the Communist faction in the State Duma could implement the planned anti-crisis measures and ensure the development of the social sphere, first of all, to return the Soviet education system.
Member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, leader of the Sverdlovsk communists A.N. Ivachev told the press conference participants about the fate of the Urals industry, part of which was destroyed, and the enterprises associated with the production of metals became the fodder base of the Russian oligarchs. Thus, the industrial production index of the Sverdlovsk region today is approaching only 80% of the 1990 figure. At the same time, there is a degradation of the social sphere, a decrease in the birth rate, and an outflow of the population.
Alexander Nikolayevich noted that attempts to present the region as liberal have no grounds. Disappointment in the course of the authorities and active propaganda of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation contribute to the growth of leftist sentiments. This is evidenced by the fact that the Communist Party won 23% of the votes in the last elections in the Sverdlovsk Region.
In conclusion, A.N. Ivachev said that the only monument guarded around the clock in Yekaterinburg is the monument to Yeltsin, the attitude towards which is sharply negative among the people. “This fact speaks for itself and gives a clear assessment of the events of 30 years ago,” stressed the speaker.
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation M.V. Drobot told how the destruction of the Soviet Union and the degradation of the social sphere affected children, women and the elderly. “In modern Russia, they have found themselves on the sidelines, are not socially protected and are not needed by anyone,” the speaker emphasized. Maria Vladimirovna also recalled that 80% of the poor in our country are families with children. “Raising even one child is an expensive pleasure,” she said.
According to the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, one-time payments do not compensate for the elimination of Soviet social guarantees. She stated that today, as priority measures, it is required to restore support for mothers and children, to stop the destruction of the education system. And the socialist transformations proposed by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation will open up wide opportunities for social progress.
In this regard, Maria Vladimirovna urged Russians to show a civic position by coming to polling stations and supporting the Communist Party and its anti-crisis program.
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party A.A. Yushchenko spoke about the last draw of places on the ballot paper and about the feelings that he experienced at the same time. “Morally, we won that the first issue gives us the support of our voters,” the speaker emphasized, noting that the authorities failed to place spoiler parties on the ballot above the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, which would prevent them from deceiving citizens on election day.
Then the participants of the press conference answered a number of questions from journalists. In particular, representatives of the Communist Party were asked to comment on the bill submitted to the State Duma on the abolition of the pension reform.
G.A. Zyuganov noted that the anti-popular law was introduced during the days of the World Cup in order to minimize protest activity. However, this did not prevent for the first time in many years in the capital to organize one hundred thousandth demonstrations.
“There was no need to pass this law,” the Communist leader stressed. He noted that there was no cost savings, competition in the labor market increased, the standard of living not only of citizens of retirement age, but also of young people, including young families who lost support in raising children from grandparents, decreased. According to the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the oligarchs became the only beneficiaries.
Gennady Andreevich urged to study the experience of people’s enterprises, demonstrating the successful development of social institutions, and ensuring a high standard of living for employees. He condemned attempts to destroy islands of prosperity through raider attacks and administrative pressure.
Also G.A. Zyuganov said that he retains hope for a positive decision of the Supreme Court on the inclusion of the director of the Lenin state farm P.N. Grudinin in the number of candidates from the party in the elections to the State Duma.
“Now we go to the Supreme Court. I still have a glimmer of hope that some kind of legality remains there,” said the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
He also noted that during the first session in the Supreme Court, the defendants presented documents without seals and dates. According to Gennady Andreevich, “it is impossible to consider a claim in court if you do not present the originals of the documents.”
“I don’t know who is behind this, but someone is. I hope that we will manage, after all,” the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation expressed his opinion.
In addition, G.A. Zyuganov said that the party’s plans include an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, as well as all-Russian protests within the framework of the law.
Source: Pravda, No. 90, August 20-23, 2021 | https://gazeta-pravda.ru/
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