Volgograd Communists initiate collecting signatures against State Duma's ratification of WTO Protocols

In the Volgograd Region, Communists announced that on June 27, they would initiate collecting signatures on an appeal to the President and State Duma deputies to postpone ratification of the protocols on Russia's accession to the WTO.

"The document will be presented for signature to both colleagues on the regional parliament and civil society organizations," stated Nikolai Parshin, the leader of the faction of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), at the "roundtable", held today in the Regional State Duma. He continued: "We will also address legislators from other regions, asking to support the protest action, scheduled for July 3."

He has noted that, on July 4, since the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party has the majority in the State Duma and in the legislative branches of regions, the protocols are likely to be ratified. "Therefore, the Volgograd Regional Committee of the CPRF reserves the right to publish and bring to the attention of every voter the list of the names of State Duma deputies, who will speak for ratification," Nikolai Parshin stated.

According to Nikolai Arefyev, the State Duma Deputy and the secretary of the Central Committee of the CPRF, till present, the government has not managed to develop a mechanism of compensation for losses of the economy from the country's accession to the WTO.

"Why should we join if we do not produce anything? In 2011, we sold the goods to the international community for the amount of 32 billion US dollars, and we bought for the amount of 156 billion US dollars. We bought in five times more than we sold! Meanwhile, we sell only military equipment, and we buy equipment, machines, machinery, and food products. According to our estimates, by 2020, the total losses from the WTO accession will be amounted to 26 billion US dollars more than a two-year budget," Nikolai Arefyev has emphasized.

"Not only opposition, but also by prominent scientists and academics oppose the ratification of the protocols," stated Alevtina Aparina, the State Duma Deputy. She said that "impact of WTO accession on social policy had not been calculated."

"Everything is going on in a hurry, like the law to toughen penalties for violations at rallies was adopted," concluded the State Duma Deputy.

Erik Khanymamedov, the representative of the social and political movement "Suts Vremeni" (Essence of Time), has recalled that the Russia's accession to the WTO establishes "primacy of international law over national law."

"That will contribute to the loss of economic sovereignty. According to analysts of the movement, upon accession to the WTO, Russia will receive 30 million unemployed persons, 40,000 enterprises will collapse, and 460 single-industry towns that depend on a single plant or production will cease to exist," Erik Khanymamedov states.

According to the study, held by the independent analytical centre "WTO-Inform", after Russia's accession to the WTO, by 2020, the Volgograd Region can lose up to 68.1 billion roubles, and the job cuts will reach 36,000-80,000.

"Here, like in any business, there are pluses and minuses. I believe that we will gain more positive aspects. Of course, we will face some problems; however, they must be solved by the state. There are various ways to support own economy, which the authorities are obliged to apply. The main advantage will be the ability to make our economy the market economy," the Volgograd portal "Oblvesti.ru" was told earlier by Ruslan Sharifov, General Director of the Group of Companies "Status".

In December 2011, the Volgograd Region established an interdepartmental commission for preparation and adaptation of economic sectors of the region to the conditions of Russia's membership in the World Trade Organization. The main tasks of the commission are to organize and analyze the competitiveness of the regional goods, products and services both at domestic market and at the open markets of the countries-members of the WTO, the "Volgograd.ru" reports.