BECN demands to dismiss Senator Vyacheslav Derev

In Karachay-Cherkessia, public representatives of the Adyge-Khabl and the Khabez Municipal Districts and the Board of Elders of Circassian Nation (BECN) urged the authorities to terminate the powers of Vyacheslav Derev, the member of the Council of Federation. In case, if their demands are not satisfied, the representatives of the Circassian community intend to hold on March 30 a rally in the central square of the city of Cherkessk.

The public representatives are indignant about the interview with Vyacheslav Derev, entitled "Fire must be extinguished" published by the "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" on February 9, 2012. In his interview, Vyacheslav Derev assessed the spread of corruption in Northern Caucasus. The Senator also called Raul Arashukov, ex-Chief of the Limited Liability Company "Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Stavropol" a "gas oligarch" and said that the Caucasus welcomed his dismissal.

In December 2011, after the visit of Igor Sechin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, to the Stavropol Territory, Raul Arashukov was dismissed, and Russian experts associated his dismissal with the government campaign against corruption in the energy companies.

"We, 715 persons, the participants of the meeting of the public community of the Adyge-Khabl Municipal District, are concerned and indignant about the publication entitled 'Fire must be extinguished', which caused a wide resonance not only in the Adyge-Khabl District, but also throughout the Karachay-Cherkessia. The article is clearly aimed at undermining the reputation of Raul Arashukov respected by all of us and the stability in the republic. We urge all of you to defend the interests of ordinary people, since Raul Turkbievich is a true trumpet of hopes and aspirations of our people," states the appeal of the representatives of the Adyge-Khabl Municipal District.

The similar statements were made by the representatives of the Khabez Municipal District and the Board of Elders of Circassian Nation.

Vyacheslav Derev himself rejects the accusations voiced by the authors of the appeals. He believes that they are trying to divert attention from serious problems. "All this rally rush, meetings of public communities, and appeals calling to remove me from the Council of Federation just represent an attempt to divert attention from two political assassinations of Fral Shebzukhov, Presidential Advisor, and Aslan Zhukov, the leader of the youth movement. These events are backed by forces interested to distract attention from them and to destabilize the situation in the republic," told Vyacheslav Derev the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

With regard to his interview to the "Rossiyskaya Gazeta", Vyacheslav Derev wonders why the article has caused such a violent response. "The phrases that I said represent a part of my job as the Senator. What new did I say? The fact that Raul Arashukov was removed from the gas industry, or the fact that his son drives five cars? The entire republic knows about those facts," said the Senator.

Vyacheslav Derev also claims that talk of his dismissal from his position as Senator is conducted at "emotional background" and that he is absolutely calm in the situation.