United Russia Set to Oust Parliament Speaker for Criticism of Putin
Senior members of the ruling United Russia party, which has a parliamentary majority, said they were planning to demand the resignation of Sergei Mironov, speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, over his criticism of polices conducted by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Mironov, a former strong supporter of the Putin-Medvedev political tandem, is now the leader of the opposition A Just Russia party, and openly criticized anti-crisis measures introduced by the government on February 1.
Andrei Vorobyov, head of United Russia's central executive committee, said: "Considering that he [Mironov] represents St. Petersburg's legislative assembly, where we [the United Russia] have the majority, I believe it is logical and necessary...to initiate [Mironov's] resignation procedures."
Vyacheslav Volodin, secretary of United Russia's general council presidium, said Mironov's remarks showed his "dishonesty and inconsistency in regard to Vladimir Putin, a person who has done so much for the country and its people."