"Party of crooks and thieves" (Russian:Партия жуликов и воров,romanized: Partiya zhulikov i vorov,abbr.ПЖиВ,PZhiV[1]) is an expression widely circulating amongopposition in Russia which is used to refer to the rulingUnited Russia party, led byVladimir Putin. It was coined and popularised by blogger and anti-corruption activistAlexei Navalny in February 2011.[2][3]
In 2013, far-right politicianVladimir Zhirinovsky, speaking toEcho of Moscow, claimed to have used this expression in 2009.[4] In 2010, liberal politicianBoris Nemtsov, speaking toRadio Liberty, described United Russia as "a party of thieves and corrupt officials".[5]
On February 2, 2011, in an interview with Finam FM radio station, blogger and anti-corruption activistAlexei Navalny responded to the question about United Russia:[6]
I think very poorly of United Russia. United Russia is the party of corruption, the party of crooks and thieves.[7]
The English translation "party of crooks and thieves" first appeared in an article ofThe New Yorker on April 4, 2011, by Russian-born American journalistJulia Ioffe.[7] The expression was also used byThe Economist in October and December 2011.[8][9]
The slogan was widely used during the2011 Russian legislative election campaign[10] by parties and individuals.[11]
Posters, banners, stickers were common during theprotests in 2011 and 2012.
The Russian-languagedivision ofCGTN, a Chinese state-run media, made a reference to "crooks and thieves" to promote China's efforts to contain corruption in a rap song about theTwo Sessions.[12]
ALevada Center survey on July 19, 2011, revealed that 33% of Russians agree that United Russia is a "party of crooks and thieves", while 47% disagreed.[13] Another survey by the same center in June 2012 showed an increase in respondents agreeing with the characterization. Of the total, 47% agreed and 40% disagreed.[14] The latest survey was conducted in April 2013 by Levada Center. For the first time since 2011, it showed the majority of Russians (51%) agreeing with the phrase.[15] At the same poll, 62% of Russians said United Russia members are about "maintaining and strengthening their own power."[16]
In February 2011, Navalny created apoll in hisLiveJournal blog in which around 38,000 people participated with over 96% agreeing with the characterization of United Russia as "party of crooks and thieves".[citation needed]
On October 11, 2011, the Lyublinsky District Court rejected the lawsuit of United Russia member Vladimir Svirid against Navalny.[17]
On November 24, 2011, during a debate onRussia-1 between United Russia and theLiberal Democratic Party, State Duma MemberAlexander Khinshtein (a member of United Russia) stated:
United Russia works. It does everything to change the life [standards] in our country. They tell us about a "party of crooks and thieves." I will respond them. It is better to be in a "party of crooks and thieves" than in a "party of murderers, rapists and robbers."[18]
The term "party of crooks and thieves" became a meme after Mr Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner, first used it in February last year as an off the cuff remark about United Russia during a radio debate.
"They are a party of crooks and thieves," said popular anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, who was one of those arrested in Moscow.
As both a lawyer and blogger, Navalny is considered a leading critic of the Kremlin. He was the first to call United Russia – the ruling centrist party of Russian President Vladmir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev – the "party of crooks and thieves."
Media related toParty of Crooks and Thieves protests at Wikimedia Commons
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