Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the Vladimir Region yesterday. After dedicating a bridge across the Oka River in the city of Murom, he headed for the city of Vladimir where he inspected a new fitness centre and chaired a video conference on the construction of sports facilities. The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Public Reception Office by the Chairman of United Russia Party, Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Putin has visited many sports facilities, both as president and prime minister. No wonder there is sometimes a sense of déjà vu: the complex he visited in Vladimir yesterday was a carbon copy of the one he saw in the Krasnodar Territory that summer. You would think that the same prefabricated structure with its inflatable roof is being moved from city to city, and press conference to press conference, unless you knew about the federal targeted programme being implemented across the country which aims at building these centres.
The entrance was adorned with a United Russia Party banner. Flags with the party's emblem also hang in the interior.
"United Russia has done so much for us. It has paid for the complex," Yelena Sidorova, a physical training instructor and chief umpire of the "Merry Starts" contest (which happened to be in progress when Putin visited), told Izvestia. She said that so far no donations had come from any other parties, for example, from the CPRF or Just Russia. "United Russia paid for the children's uniforms." Sidorova said that her husband had recently joined United Russia.
"Why?" Izvestia asked.
"He has his own ideas," Sidorova replied after a pause.
"I said I had no objections. Would you object if your wife joined United Russia?"
I shrugged.
Vladimir Putin entered the gym full of cheering children and took a seat in the first row among the spectators right beneath the United Russia flags. The prime minister was flanked by some prominent UR members, including State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov and secretary of the UR General Council Presidium, Vyacheslav Volodin. The latter explained that there was a good reason for the presence of the UR symbols in the city (in addition to the living symbols).
"You can say what you like, but the targeted programme was a UR initiative. We set the right course," a party functionary explained. Hence the UR symbols. There is nothing wrong with that. We are welcoming the leader of the ruling party.
If Zyuganov had come here, there would have been different flags. So, it's just a matter of course."
Vladimir Putin spent about ten minutes watching the contestants dash about the gym, tumble and gyrate hoops before presenting the awards to the winners. "To those who have not won the top prizes or any other prizes today, I would like to say that there is no reason to be sad or distressed: you have gained a priceless experience," Vladimir Putin told the children. After posing for pictures with the children and autographing their sweatshirts, Putin went into a meeting. During the meeting he stressed United Russia's contribution to promoting the physical fitness. The visit ended late at night in Putin's Reception Office where he personally received petitioners.
"Putin is the UR leader," Volodin shared his thoughts with Izvestia.
"If he works, builds bridges, and sports facilities, has direct call-in programmes with the people, that certainly gives a boost to the Party. Putin contributes to the Party's popularity. The fact that elections in Vladimir Region are only ten days away is a mere coincidence. We shall win," Volodin said with a broad grin.
The losers would then have to fall back on Putin's advice "not to be sad or distressed" and console themselves with the notion that they have, for an umpteenth time, gained a priceless experience.
* * *
Joining the queue to see the prime minister
In July-August 2008, following Putin's instructions, every region in the country established Public Reception Offices in the name of the Party's Chairman, with the Central Office located in Moscow. Since then, nearly 209,000 people have used the offices, with 150,000 showing up in person. About a third of them come with problems related to housing and utilities and one in every six visitors over social security issues. So far, one in every five petitions has been resolved in favour of the petitioner, and about half of all the requests are working their way through the system. To be received by Vladimir Putin personally one has to file an application with a regional reception office and wait until the prime minister visits the region.
Alexander Latyshev
