November 30, 2007	Friday	Ziqa’ad 19, 1428

MOSCOW, Nov 29: President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Russians to vote for his party in elections or face a return to “humiliation” as a prominent critic accused him of leading Russia toward dictatorship.

In a televised address, Putin urged voters to back United Russia, warning that the liberal opposition would return Russia to the “humiliation, dependency and disintegration” it suffered after the 1991 Soviet collapse.

The Kremlin leader spoke just hours before former chess champion turned Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov was released after five days in prison and warned that Russia was sliding into dictatorship.

“This regime is entering a very dangerous phase that is turning it into a dictatorship,” Kasparov told journalists as he arrived at his Moscow apartment.

United Russia is forecast to win a big majority in the State Duma lower house of parliament. The tiny liberal parties are not expected to win a single seat and complain they are victims of heavy-handed Kremlin tactics.

“We should not allow back into power the people who... want to change and muddle Russia’s development plans,” Putin said ahead of the vote on Sunday.

The 55-year-old Kremlin leader warned against the “dangerous illusion” of believing his legacy was safe and also appeared to confirm he would step down next year.

The television address had been closely watched for any sign of Putin’s plans after he completes his second term next year, when the constitution requires he must relinquish the presidency.

“The result of the parliamentary elections will, without a doubt, set the tone for the elections for a new president,” he said.

That appeared to confirm that Putin will not seek to override a constitutional ban on seeking a third consecutive term in a March 2 presidential vote.

—AFP