There were no apparent changes in routine at Moscow's police stations Monday, the day set by the Interior Ministry to launch an all-out nationwide campaign against criminal gangs, using special powers granted by President Yeltsin's decree on crime. Yury Reshetnik, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said by phone that police did not plan to carry out "mass operations" on Monday. But he said that if the police did manage to detain any suspected crime bosses, they would no longer be freed after 48 hours. The June 14 decree granted police powers to detain suspects for up 30 days, examine financial affairs of anyone suspected of organized crime and to search offices and homes without a court order. Mikhail Yegorov, first deputy Interior Minister, said Friday that 10 days had been given to police to work out strategy and tactics and that beginning Monday they would launch operations against organize crime across the country. But Reshetnik said: "Today is an ordinary day. Concrete results from the decree will take time to appear." Vladimir Vershkov, a police spokesman, said the decree was not a total solution. Police had been fighting mafia beforehand and would continue to do so, he said. "The decree does not liquidate the main reasons behind the criminals' activity -- the difficult economic situation and inadequate welfare provision for the population," Vershkov said. Konstantin Pudov, a spokesman for the mayor's office in Yekaterinburg, said local police started serious action against organized crime groups six months ago. He did not think the decree would improve matters in the near future. "I cannot say that the situation has started to change for the better," Pudov said. "Maybe in five months it will be possible." Alexander Nizyuk, a spokesman for the St.Petersburg police, said nothing changed Monday in the city and would scarcely change at all in the near future. "Americans have been fighting with the organized crime for years and you want to restore an order in two weeks?" Nizyuk asked. "Or, maybe, mountains of corpses will solve the problem? Certainly not. Believe me, it will take a lot of time."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our
Privacy Policy.
