Russia road plan puts brakes on the hopes

MOSCOW - if he ordered in August a stop the construction of the controversial highway through a forest in a suburb of Moscow, President Dmitry Medvedev was seen under a rare activists - rotate a local environment dispute into a national test his commitments, Russia's political system to make it stronger on people.

Associated press activists put barricades in logger paths in July, before President Medwedew highway construction stopped.

On Tuesday after the additional validation Mr Medvedev ordered, approved the Government plans to start the project along the original route. The decision which caused howls of environmental and community activists who said growing doubt fueled, Mr defenders liberal rhetoric is something more than just talk.

"If he a strong President, he would have taken another decision", said Yaroslav nikitenko, a leader of the group for Khimki forest, whose Proteste helped draw national attention to the opposition against the road construction project. "It was the litmus test for how the authorities relate to people."

Mr defenders August decision to suspend the construction for additional public review had left elated, opponents of the road, although it change the route. The move was to enclose that Putin had approved the original route including Moscow then Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Prime Minister Vladimir contradict with powerful officials. Mr Medvedev, who Putin was selected for the Presidency of Mr in 2007, is widely the weaker partners in Russia's ruling tandem considered.

Mr Medvedev used his video blog to announce August move. He talk publicly about the topic Tuesday.

Kremlin officials defended the decision as a step towards greater openness, say, it sent a clear message about the importance of dialogue with civil society groups to controversial projects. "The head of State thinks that the example of the forest Khimki should be a lesson, that such dialog is necessary," said Mr. of Mevedev's spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, reporters. She said President thought that changes had led to additional discussions, which would facilitate the impact of the project on the forest.

Mr Medvedev has promoted pro-democracy lawyers with calls for greater openness and political competition in more than two years in Office. But critics say real change – such as such as loosening the ruling party of political monopoly or control of the national media - Kremlin has been slow, to follow the public commitments.

Take Reuters Medvedev on the site of a planned technology park Tuesday, stated Russia a delayed Street plan would go forward.

"It's a very difficult situation because we want to support it, but it has a mutual process be", Jewgeni Gontmakher, an economist at a liberal leaning Institute that sometimes advises the Kremlin said. "It is all just at the level of rhetoric at the moment."

Mr nikitenko and his allies decision along the said Tuesday's Mr Medvedev left disillusioned. Swore opposition groups of Kremlin candidate in the presidential election in 2012 challenge join.

Political analysts say expectations of major shifts under Mr Medvedev however, unrealistic, given its commitment to ensuring the stability of the current ruling tandem. Mr Medvedev is cautious, move say but is some changes.

"This is another President," said said Gleb Pavlovsky, a political consultant, working with the Kremlin and participated in some of the hearings on the Khimki case this fall. "He is asking more attentive to popular protest and debate on important issues."

If Mr Putin was President, "Civil society secured was considered as a partner for the authorities, but as an enemy of Western money", said Alexei Makarkin, Moscow political advisers.

As an example of the change, Kremlin officials and analysts note taken that last week was St. Petersburg City officials in the popular pressure and agreed to postpone a planned skyscraper which had caused protests as a threat to the historic city skyline. Mr Medvedev asked earlier this year in question to the original plan.

Where forest Khimki say Mr nikitenko and other activists the review process after Mr defenders order was a formality. Denounced the proposed amendments - elimination of business envisaged along the route in the forests and planting more trees in a nearby region lost to compensate those - inadequate to protect the forest. They blamed the route choice what you said, corrupt links between government officials and project investors. Backers denied the road.

Officials defended the review process. The route would change said, have delayed completion of the road for four years, until 2017, and required, dozens of residents in new homes move.

The street which will first stage of a new highway, Moscow and St. Petersburg, link is urgently needed to alleviate massive traffic jam along the existing motorway of the Soviet era. Traffic jams can take now immediately after the Khimki forest in a long distant torture the journey from Moscow city located main international airport.

Write toGregory L. White at greg.white@wsj.com

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