Izvestia: "Putin promises fair elections "
As per tradition, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin answered questions from government press pool journalists before the New Year. He briefly summed up the results of 2011 and told journalists how to deal with the opposition. Replying to Izvestia's question, he said he would run his election campaign while performing his duties as prime minister:
"I won't take a holiday; it's not required by law after all. I simply won't have time for it."
The prime minister refused to comment on recent government vacancies caused by the departures of Sergei Ivanov, Alexander Zhukov and Vyacheslav Volodin. They went to work in the State Duma and the presidential administration. The vacant deputy prime minister positions are now occupied by Dmitry Rogozin who is in charge of the military-industrial complex and Vladislav Surkov who is responsible for modernisation.
When asked by Izvestia whether other changes in the cabinet are planned before the presidential election, and why the recent changes were made now rather than in March, Putin asked who had made these changes.
"The president."
"Then ask the president," Putin advised. He was very vague about his own possible position in the government. When asked whether he could become acting president before the elections, he replied: "We have not discussed this but if this is your advice, we will think about it, although we don't think it's necessary."
He admitted that he liked working in the government because his job has "the drive." The prime minister said he would give a present to the Russian people in 2012 – honest presidential elections.
Putin considers instability in the Eurozone to be the main threat in 2012 but he does not have any apocalyptic expectations – he hopes that all of its members will overcome the crisis with minimal losses.
Putin was asked about the opposition rallies. He said he is not afraid of a dialogue with representatives of the protest movement, but that for the time being there is nobody to talk to because the opposition does not have a common leader or programme.
"There are many representatives of Yabloko, the Communist Party, nationalist movements and liberals. With whom should I talk?" Putin queried. "This is not a matter of being afraid. Fear has nothing to do with it. The point is that the opposition is not really accomplishing anything. They always demand the impossible and then nothing happens, but this comes later."
Putin added that he has never been against a dialogue with the opposition but would object to any extremist behaviour by its representatives.
"Sometimes, when I see what's happening or when my acquaintances or relatives say something about their interactions with the officials, I myself want to..." Putin said. "Do you remember what General Charnota said in 'The Run'? 'Sorry, but I would join the Reds, finish you off and then quit immediately.'"
By Anastasia Novikova
