Khimki Development Halted!

 
President Medvedev made the following announcement on his blog yesterday evening!
 
"I have received a large number of petitions recently regarding the fate of the Khimki Forest. Despite the fact that the Government adopted a separate resolution on the construction of a motorway, and despite the fact that this issue was addressed in our judicial system and relevant rulings have been made, yet, our people, namely, representatives of various political parties, ranging from the ruling United Russia party to the opposition parties, as well as representatives of public associations and various expert circles say that this issue requires further analysis.
 
Given this number of petitions, I have made the following decision: I am instructing the Government to suspend the implementation of the resolution on the construction of this motorway and to hold additional public and expert discussions. Such discussions have already taken place, but given that the issue has provoked a very strong response, I believe it would do no harm to return to these discussions and to conduct them once again. That would be the right thing, to ensure we dot all the i’s.
 
Naturally, I do not predetermine the outcome. But given the concern experienced today by a significant number of Muscovites, as well as the initiatives and the petitions that have been made to me, this decision must be implemented."
 
The significance of this must not be overlooked by western observers. The personal involvement of prime Minister Putin is highly relevant, and his fingerprints are all over some of the more controverial aspects of the project, including several violent incidents.
Medvedev should receive credit for his move, and we should watch carefully what happens during the "discussions", and who is involved in the decision making.
It is highly likely that the project will go ahead, but this development marks a major acheivement for Russian Civil Society. It is nothing less than a political landmark.