Komsomolskaya Pravda
Russians’ personal data posted online
Those who leaked it say they are fighting corruption.
Unlike WikiLeaks, which exposes shady political dealings, those who have madeRussians’ personal data freely accessible online claim that they are fighting corruption.
The scandal erupted on October 1, when a group of users registered three sites – rusleaks.com, rusleaks.net and rusleaks.org – which give free access to Russians’ personal information, including passport data, mobile phone numbers and traffic police records.
The project’s authors claim corruption can be defeated “only in conditions of close public control, which entails disclosing confidential information. This will enable the public to investigate and expose corruption independently, especially in their locality.”
They also write that the exposure of private information will not damage honest people. “Our project will not please some people, who will likely invoke the right to privacy. But their true reason will be fear of exposure; honest people have no reason to keep their private information secret,” they write.
The project’s authors have promised to regularly renew the personal database and expand the websites’ capabilities. To be able to do this, they need security, which is why their servers are located in Switzerland and the sites are using the https protocol, which allows them to encrypt traffic.
Ilya Shabanov, the founder and managing partner of the Anti-Malware test lab, said the information published on rusleaks could be used by criminals. He told RIA Novosti that “the personal data published on the site is actually a mixture of information people themselves have shared on social networking sites with official databases, for example the Interior Ministry’s database. The publication of state databases is a violation of the federal law on personal data. Furthermore, this could be damaging for many people.”
This is not the first tine personal information is leaked online. In summer 2011, thousands of personal SMS text messages and telephone numbers of MegaFon subscribers, the names, phone numbers and home addresses of online shoppers, e-tickets and part of state agencies’ documents became available online. Experts explained the leaks by the negligence of site designers and administrators.
Internet expert Maxim Kononenko believes the project’s authors will be punished. “I think they will be found and put behind bars for violating the law on personal data,” he said.
His colleague Anton Nosik said the leaks became possible because of inadequate protection of government databases and that criminals stand to benefit the most from gaining access to the data. The leaks “will not help fight corruption; they look more like ordinary internet hooliganism,” he said.
Mikhail Grishankov, first deputy chair of the State Duma committee on security, said everyone whose personal data has been published online can press charges against those responsible. “The publication of personal data online is an alarming signal,” he said. “CDs containing tax inspection and traffic police databases are available for sale in Moscow’s markets. This is extremely dangerous because criminals can use them.”
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Political vacuum to foster regressive movement – expert
Two years ago, in his famous article “Go, Russia!” President Dmitry Medvedev called for political, economic and social change. In a recent interview Medvedev said that he has no differences with the ruling United Russia party – neither in the strategy nor tactics, despite the fact that a range of issues he had identified remain unresolved. Gleb Pavlovsky, head of the Effective Politics Foundation, believes that a new coalition could emerge in Russia under the slogan “Go Back, Russia!”
Medvedev outlined three goals for himself as president: to overcome economic backwardness, corruption, and the widespread paternalistic sentiment in society. In his article he referred to five strategic directions for economic modernization which look like something out of science fiction: improved energy efficiency with energy saving technology, and new technology for the nuclear, information and medical industries, and space exploration. Medvedev maintains that prosperity and political progress are inextricably linked with technological progress.
“The political system will be updated and improved in a free competition between open political associations,” said Medvedev.
Nevertheless, Medvedev, who tops the ruling United Russia's party list, will not participate in the election debates.
“Is public debate not the ultimate 'free competition between open political associations'?” Pavlovsky asks. “This looks strange, as leaders of other parties are fighting for TV airtime.”
“Neither the president nor the political community sense the danger of what is happening,” Pavlovsky said. “The Go, Russia! coalition, be it good or bad, clever or stupid, has failed. This failure has created a vacuum where a Go Back, Russia! coalition is rapidly growing.”
Pavlovsky added that this was the result of Medvedev's policy not being implemented: “By saying that Putin has the authority, the president essentially declared himself void of authority. Medvedev disavowed his program, whether he realizes it or not. The government is now in limbo. What is this? An agenda or an intrigue?”
Pavlovsky cited incompleteness of judicial reform as an example of lack of implementation.
“A level of fear has been very important for maintaining power in our system,” Pavlovsky said. “Medvedev has made important steps towards changing the situation, by dismantling the gulag. But this was not claimed as a political principle. Society was not invited to unite around these critical reforms.”
Pavlovsky said that Russian society seems to enjoy arrests, sadism and this extends to the treatment of minorities.
“Much has been done to change this,” said Pavlovsky. “Neither Yeltsin nor Putin dared to dismantle the Gulag, which began under Medvedev. There is a feeling now that he is backpedaling on that commitment.”
“The quality of the political process has fallen sharply and we're in a dangerous situation,” Pavlovsky added. “Cooler heads must be skeptical about what they see and hear. The authorities do not know what the new agenda will be. Whoever does should probably campaign for a new agenda.”
Kommersant
Russian issuers find debt capital markets closed
Russian companies faced borrowing difficulties in July-September, with new share and Eurobond issuance falling nearly 87% from the second quarter and debt capital markets’ future uncertain.
It wasn’t easy to borrow on the Russian ruble debt market either, although analysts do not believe the situation is as critical as in 2008.
Russian issuers’ equity markets activity totaled $10.042 billion during the first nine months of 2011 (19 companies), while 26 issuers placed $19.32 billion worth of Eurobonds. The Russian debt capital market saw 95 issues worth $21.456 billion. According to a Dealogic ranking of underwriters organizing Russian companies’ bond and share issues, VTB Capital topped all three lists in the third quarter. Deutsche Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch rounded out the top three organizers of share issues, JP Morgan and Barclays in Eurobond issues, and Sberbank and Gazprombank in ruble bonds.
The third quarter figures indicate a dramatic fall in Russian issuers’ activity on capital markets, with new issuance plummeting to $638 million, and Eurobond issuance to $1.421 billion. Only three Russian companies issued Eurobonds – Metalloinvest, Moscow Credit Bank and Severstal. Borrowing on the domestic market fell 50%. According to Cbonds, only 41 ruble issues were made, compared to 138 in the second quarter and 45 in the first quarter. Only four companies have issued ruble bonds since mid-August.
“Bad news from Europe and America and high volatility across the globe have significantly complicated the access to debt capital markets, which as good as closed,” said Andrei Solovyov from VTB Capital. Foreign banks and companies are having problems too. “Investors are uncertain about what instruments to buy because they can’t evaluate the risks, so they refrain from making any deals,” said Nikita Patrakhin from Raiffeisenbank.
Companies could borrow, theoretically, but they would have to set higher interest rates, said analyst Marina Vlasenko from Commerzbank.
On the other hand, most issuers do not see this situation as critical. “Many companies and banks borrowed more than they needed to cover their immediate costs in the first half of 2011, when the markets were favorable,” Solovyov said. In 2010, many issuers extended their loans and reduced the interest rates, so they have no problem refinancing their debt now, Patrakhin added.
However, the situation may deteriorate later on if the markets remain tense, analysts warn. “Investors and issuers are waiting for the markets to reach their low and rebound, but no one knows when that will happen,” Solovyov said.
Vlasenko does not believe tensions will ease for a few months. “Russian companies’ market capitalization will not be restored and credit spread will not begin to narrow until sovereign debt crises are resolved in peripheral Europe. This will lower the funding costs to a level acceptable for issuers, on the one hand, and attractive for investors, on the other,” she said.
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