Medvedev offers changes in the existing system of power in the Caucasus

On August 19, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev expressed his extreme discontent with the system of power existing in Northern Caucasus and offered to optimize the structures of interdepartmental interaction by involving staff from other regions for this purpose.

The main pretext for the sitting in Stavropol was became the terror act at the building of Nazran GOVD in Ingushetia on August 17, as a result of which, according to updated information, 25 persons were lost.

At the sitting on security held in Stavropol, Mr Medvedev demanded to organize a special meeting on development of the south of Russia in the nearest month.

According to the President, it is necessary "to cardinally rebuild the cadre work in all directions, starting from the employees of the patrol-sentry units and up to bosses of the departments of MIA, FSB and some other agencies." He believes that to address the problems with the human potential in the Southern Federal District (SFD) "we should make use of sending people from other regions and central federal machinery."

"We need new projects and workplaces; in fact, the roots of criminality are the same - social disorder, poverty, domination of corrupt officials, and lack of motivation in people for normal life," the President has stated.

Besides, he offered to make change in the legislative base concerning the trials of terrorists and extremists.

"I think we can make a decision on changes in territorial jurisdiction on terrorist and extremist criminal cases, to make impossible for bandits and corrupt officials to press the courts. If we can't properly make bandits answerable here, let's do it in other places: in Moscow, St Petersburg or Kamchatka, but they must be duly punished and imprisoned," said Russian President.

Mr Medvedev has also suggested discussing the topic of withdrawal of certain crimes from jurisdiction of juries. First of all, it concerns criminal communities and organized criminal groupings. "Unfortunately, our juries fail to cope with this problem for various reasons. I believe that cases on such crimes should be considered by boards of professional judges," he said, having noted that war on terrorists should go on, "without being ceremonious, and by liquidating them without any emotions and hesitations", as reported by the "Stavropolskaya Pravda".

Meanwhile, Russian human rights defenders have immediately voiced against any narrowing of the competence of the juries. Thus, Liudmila Alekseeva, leader of the Moscow Helsinki Group, has expressed her extreme concern of the idea to withdraw crimes accomplished by criminal communities and criminal groupings from jurisdiction of juries. In Ms Alekseeva's opinion, implementation of this proposal will put an end to the reform of the judiciary. She believes that frequent acquittal verdicts passed by jurymen are revealing the inconsistency of the investigatory bodies, the "Echo Moskvy" Radio reports.

Dmitri Medvedev also believes that it is necessary to stimulate the people who defend the law and order in Northern Caucasus under increased risk. "In case of human losses, the person in charge of ensuring safety will be directly responsible," he warned the audience.