New party led by Gudkov may join Green Alliance - newspaper
MOSCOW. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Gennady Gudkov's party project Social Democrats of Russia may join Green Alliance - People's Party led by Gleb Fetisov and Oleg Mitvol, Izvestiya reported on Friday.
"Consultations are now being conducted," Gudkov told the paper.
Nevertheless, a source told the paper the negotiations are now in their final stage and a unified congress of the two parties may take place on January 25, 2014.
"Fetisov and Gudkov will become co-chairmen of the party and [Oleg] Mitvol will become chairman of the council of the unified party," the source said.
Mitvol has declined to comment on this information to Izvestiya.
According to the paper, the founding congress of Social Democrats of Russia is scheduled for December 15, but Gudkov does not rule out the possibilitythat he will not be able to register his party and expressed readiness to join another political force.
The source told Izvestiya said the main incentive for unification for Gudkov was his interest in the financial capabilities of Fetisov, who is on the Russian Forbes list, whereas Social Democratic of Russia currently do not have any significant sources of funding.
Fetisov's aide Igor Pylayev said the format of this cooperation will be determined after the founding congress of Social Democrats of Russia. He also confirmed that the Green Alliance leader will be present there.