"For ten years officials were deprived of a possibility to openly join this or that party. But this is an inalienable right of all citizens," Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia, told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Today a profiled committee recommended the State Duma to adopt a new law permitting cabinet members join political parties and head them.
Mr. Zhirinovsky believes that the prohibition of party-membership cards was once caused by the struggle against the monopoly of the Communist Party but is not up-to-date now.
"Today officials are somewhat derelict without party control and discipline. They are not responsible to anyone except their bosses," the politician complained.
Secretary of the Russian Communist Party's Central Committee Viktor Peshkov also approves the intention to lift this ban.
"Logically, the party which gains majority at the elections should form the government. But we need more morality! People are changing parties in search for benefit. Things in Russia are different from Great Britain," Mr. Peshkov told RIA Novosti.
Democrats also support this plan and consider it up-to-date.
Deputy chairman of the Yabloko party Sergei Mitrokhin believes that it is useless to conceal one's party membership.
If Russia's top officials are allowed party membership, the country will follow the way of more transparent and open political mechanisms," he noted.
The State Duma is likely to consider the relevant bill in October. The on-the-job formation of party organizations is still prohibited.
United Russia leader, State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said that some governors and cabinet members were going to join his party.
"It meansthe growth of trust in the party," he stressed.
