He said Russia’s sovereign democracy should not be called into question
He said Russia’s “sovereign democracy” should not be called into question. “It [sovereign democracy] means we are building an open society, that we do not forget we are a free society, and that we do not want to be directed from outside.”Mr Surkov, brushing aside charges the Kremlin was exercising Soviet-style control over Russia’s broadcast media and tolerated little or no political opposition, said the Russian version of European culture was not “exotic” or wildly “different” from the British variant.. Mr Surkov suggested that such criticism was inspired more by the West’s desire to get its hands on his country’s oil and gas reserves than by a genuine concern about democracy.”We admit our failings and we don’t interfere in other people’s business,” he told Western reporters.”They [the West] talk about democracy but they’re thinking about our natural resources.”The 41-year-old was candid about Russia’s problems but said its brand of democracy was not among them. Russia is chairing the G8 for the first time this year and wants the summit, next month, to be a showcase for its booming economy.The Kremlin has been angered by Western criticism of its democratic credentials in the run-up to the summit, notably from Dick Cheney, the US Vice-President.
Yesterday, he did so.
He mounted a defiant defence of Russia’s own brand of democracy, putting the Kremlin’s critics on notice that his boss, Mr Putin, will not tolerate lectures on democracy at the G8 summit in St Petersburg. Vladislav Surkov, the deputy head of President Putin’s administration, is often referred to as “the second most powerful man in Russia” and is famous for his reluctance to appear in public. Sven Goran Eriksson is planning a multimillion-pound book deal to tell the story of his turbulent time as England manager. The memoirs are currently being touted around publishers and are expected to fetch £1.5m. Yesterday, Eriksson’s business manager confirmed the project, saying that once his contract with the Football Association ended after the World Cup, he was free to publish.. Vladimir Putin’s ideologue-in-chief has used a rare public appearance to insist that Russia is a genuine European-style democracy that did not lose the Cold War.
The Palace is now seeking an increase of £1m plus inflation a year.. The wealth gap between Britain’s largest charities and their smaller counterparts is so wide that it could threaten the survival of those at the bottom of the sector, fund-raisers have warned. The Charity Trends 2006 report showed that “big name” causes at the top of a list of 1,000 groups were thriving from public donations in comparison to small to medium-sized charities, which were struggling to maintain their position.. About 70 per cent goes on staff, but it also pays for garden parties and state banquets.Government grants – Department of Culture provides an extra £15m a year for the upkeep of the royal palaces. The Queen pays for members of the Royal Family on the Civil List.
Revenue from the Crown Estates totalling £184.8m goes to the Treasury.What the accounts coverExpenditure from the Civil List – Parliament funds the monarchy for public duties with the Civil List, which is worth £11.2m. Jewellery said to be worth £130m and an art collection conservatively estimated at £1bn.Her private income is in part generated from the Duchy of Lancaster estates, held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399 Worth: £308m. Gross income: £13 m.As head of state, the Queen holds the Crown Estates, worth £700m covering 260,000 acres. But the Palace yesterday insisted that the Queen is “entitled to her privacy” and had no plans to detail her tax expenditure either now or in the future.The Palace accounts published yesterday do not mention her private wealth. That includes 50,000 acres of woodlands and castle at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland; and the Sandringham Estate incorporating many tenanted houses The real estate is estimated to be worth more than £200m The Monarch also has private investments worth £520m. She agreed to pay tax under an agreement reached with John Major’s government, but it has never been disclosed how much is paid and on what The Prince of Wales this week revealed he paid £3.3m in tax.
He paid £155 out of his own pocket towards the cost.Prince Edward, the Earl and Countess of WessexChartered flights – Sullom Ve terminal in Shetland and return to Farnborough on 7-8 September last year. Cost: £11,403.Princess Anne, the Princess RoyalChartered flights – Beijing on a scheduled flight on 19 September Cost: £26,763 BAe 146 from Beijing to East Timor and Papua New Guinea. Cost: £127,011.Recces: It cost a total of £44,885 for the staff of the Prince of Wales to fly to the United States on various dates last year before his visit.What we don’t knowThe Queen’s total wealth is probably more than £2bn, making her the richest woman in Britain, but it is not known how much she pays in tax. Cost: £7,849Prince Andrew, Duke of YorkChartered flights: round trip from the Isle of Man to Scotland for a meeting of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club for the “driving-in” ceremony for the new golf club captain on 21-22 September last year Cost: £11,555. Prince Andrew chartered a private jet to take him after the RAF plane broke down. Cost: £304,000.America last November – Camilla’s first overseas tour. Cost: £280,186.Chartered helicopter – Colne in Lancashire to Buckingham Palace last October.
