Parties Ordered to Coordinate Criticism of Internet Restrictions with the Presidential Administration

Parties have been ordered to coordinate criticism of internet restrictions with the presidential administration

The Kremlin’s domestic politics bloc has ordered parties to coordinate criticism of internet restrictions with the presidential administration and banned them from pushing this topic, sources in the LDPR, the Communist Party and New People told Verstka.

“All outrage has to be coordinated with the pharmacy [a slang name for the presidential administration]. [In the story with the shutdowns] things broke through and everyone started getting indignant. We are indignant too. But without mentioning specific people or government bodies,” a source in the LDPR faction in the Duma explained the situation.

Against the backdrop of growing popularity as a “permitted liberal party,” New People are positioning themselves more actively than on other high-profile issues, but their rhetoric is also heavily restricted.

“This began against the backdrop of general irritation, because back in January-February [A Just Russia leader Sergei] Mironov was yelling about idiots at Roskomnadzor, and Davankov was launching a campaign for Telegram. In other words, everyone fell silent at roughly the same time. For every idea, a call or a meeting is needed; everything is moving very painfully,” a source in the New People party explains.

A political consultant close to the Kremlin, speaking with Verstka, says that the parties have still not been given “a clear set of topics they can work on” during the State Duma election campaign period. According to him, the Kremlin is asking the regions in the elections “not to get creative.”

“Where did the rumors come from that [Victoria] Bonya’s appeal was a game of the towers? Because right now nobody says anything on their own. And here everyone is used to the story about handed-down ‘de-escalations,’” the source says ironically.

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