Komsomolskaya Pravda: "A pensioners’ Christmas: wool socks for Medvedev and Putin"
The president and the prime minister met with pensioners.
Yesterday thirty pensioners from all across Russia – from Tula to Grozny and Naryan-Mar came to the Kremlin to speak with Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. The meeting took place in the Winter Garden at the Grand Kremlin Palace and was organized at the request of Mikhail Belov, a pensioner from Khabarovsk whom the president met during his visit to the Far Eastern federal district last week. The president reacted promptly and invited Vladimir Putin to participate in the meeting.
"It is an interesting place, the Kremlin. Many governmental decisions are made here, many fateful meetings take place," Medvedev said, greeting the pensioners.
"We couldn't invite all people who have the right to be called pensioners and veterans to visit the Kremlin and the White House, of course," continued Putin, reminding the pensioners that there are thirty eight million of them throughout Russia.
The president and the prime minister suggested getting right down to business.
Igor Batishchev, a pensioner from Lipetsk, complained about history being distorted and said we should be proud of their country like Soviet people used to be in the USSR. Putin agreed, but he also reminded the visitors about another aspect of it.
"We were all very proud of our vast country. We were proud of Gagarin's first flight into the cosmos, liberation from Nazism, and Soviet art. But we were annoyed that sugar disappeared from the shops. It was a shame indeed," retorted the prime minister. "This pride was not enough to keep the country together. Most people thought that it couldn't get any worse."
Putin remembered how once while coming back home from abroad in the early 90's he got a flat tire on the road.
"The men asked me then, 'Are you for the Union or for Russia?'" Putin recalled. "It was crazy."
According to the prime minister, speculating about peoples' problems and promises of a better life than in Paris led to the collapse of the Soviet economy and the breakup of the country.
"We shouldn't allow populists to use this topic to benefit from it again, speculate and get dividends!" claimed Putin. "We should be able to distinguish people who solve problems from power-hungry couch potatoes."
"I have travelled to Czechoslovakia several times and I was told "Don't buy sausage there, it's a shame to your country! But hunger is no joke," added Ivan Zhukov, the Baltic Fleet veteran from Kursk. "For the last ten years people have felt different. Government leaders don't fight with them, but cooperate. Simple communication gains trust. Citizens of Kursk ask you to continue working together, in tandem!"
In response, Putin reminded all that for the last 100 years government leaders have only stepped down twice – Nikolai II and Mikhail Gorbachev.
"Vladimir Putin is trying to say that we are not going to leave and we are not running away from our responsibility," joked Medvedev.
Putin promised that the authorities will not leave the pensioners unprotected. Next year pensions will be indexed two times, and the retirement age will not change so far.
"The retirement age is increasing throughout Europe. But there it is conditioned by the economy - they can't pay, so it is a forced measure. We have a different situation," said Putin.
Galina Savina from Vologda complained that employers are reluctant to hire pensioners.
"It is hard to leave a job. I know it from my father's example. He worked until he was 75," said Putin. "Once I came to the factory where he worked, it was a mess, so noisy, but he just couldn't go away. And money was not the reason."
The president and the prime-minister promised to initiate the development of a more flexible system of employment for pensioners that would interest the employers as well.
The woman also complained that there are no free sport channels in Vologda.
"We are forced to buy satellite antennas!" complained Galina Savina.
"In a few years every family will be able to watch 15-20 free channels." promised Medvedev.
Pensioner Rimma Kostina from Naryan-Mar presented Medvedev and Putin with wool socks.
"You travel a lot along our country. They will keep you warm!" promised the pensioner.
Touched by the gift, the president and the prime minister both kissed the pensioner.
Elena Krivyakina
