“Echo Moscow” Interview with A. Venediktov
Air time: JANUARY 15, 2020, 17:05 Moscow time
A. Venediktov – Hello.
A. Solomin – What is happening? What happened?
A. Venediktov – Apparently, Putin decided to definitely begin the transit, which before that was in his head. He decided to consolidate it both legally and personnelly. He did this quite unexpectedly, as far as I know today, those who were in the Kremlin Palace, maybe with the exception of 3-4 people, did not expect any movements. They kept absolutely as usual. Well, yes, well, we will increase maternal capital. We will do a nationwide discussion of the Constitution.
A. Solomin – Everyone thought that Siluanov’s sad face was connected with this.
A. Venediktov – Yes. Everyone thought. Probably so. Yes, of course, 500 billion a year minus. But in fact, Putin has indicated, I would say transit options, in my opinion, very clearly.
A. Solomin – In your message already?
A. Venediktov – Part was in the message, and part began with personnel. By the way, the message should be reminded that we are talking about the transfer of Dmitry Medvedev from the post of second person in the state of the Prime Minister to a post that until today did not exist. To the post of deputy first and only deputy chairman of the Security Council.
A. Venediktov: Putin is strengthening the power component. What is a Security Council? This is the current Politburo.
A. Solomin – Whose Deputy?
A. Venediktov – This is Putin’s deputy. Because the president of the Security Council is the president.
A. Solomin – Because many thought of Patrushev.
A. Venediktov – And so the agencies were mixed up and those who were not there did not hear, they decided that he was deputy. Patrusheva. This is a dismissal and in general …
A. Solomin – This fall would be.
A. Venediktov – I do not find it a decrease. I find it a squiggly name, no worse than the appointment of Kiriyenko, I would say. Of course, we do not know who will lead the government. What did Putin do? – he said: the government is retired. The government is retired. But the government will not be headed by Medvedev. He has a different goal. Another suggestion. He immediately said that there would be a new chairman, another goal. What does it mean? If we combine the appointment of Medvedev with what Putin said about changing the functions of various institutions, we see that Putin is strengthening the power component. What is a Security Council? This is the current Politburo. To make it clear. No government presidium, presidential administration. This is the Security Council in the form in which it is today – it is a political bureau. Because there are not only security officials, as they say, there is the mayor of Moscow, the mayor of St. Petersburg. There are plenipotentiaries of all seven districts. Members of the Security Council. Naturally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Emergency Situations. Not only the Minister of Defense, the FSB and the SVR.
A. Solomin – Alexei Alekseevich, in the 21st century, it is necessary to explain what the Politburo is.
A. Venediktov – Yes, this is the highest collective body of state power in the Russian Federation. Where all the most important decisions are made. They are taken naturally by the president. Who presides. These are the most efficient, most trusted, closest political people. Therefore, the creation of the post of deputy, which until that time was not, was Secretary Patrushev, but there was no deputy. And the transfer of Medvedev there – it reminds me of the transfer of Medvedev from a very high post, the head of the administration at one time to the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. And where did he jump from the prime minister? In the presidency. Medvedev. This is the time. Security Council – the second story. If you listened carefully to Putin’s constitutional reform, let’s call it that. He offers to transfer the power structure to the Federation Council. The appointment of security officials must be agreed with the Federation Council. The appointment of prosecutors even regional, as it were, with the Federation Council. Not now. And the removal of judges of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, which is currently absent, is also by the Federation Council.
A. Solomin – Why?
A. Venediktov – The second node, where the security forces become dependent. The Security Council, where they participate, the Federation Council, which controls them and the third node, is the State Council. Muddy absolutely State Council with incomprehensible functions, well, the governor and what. What will he do? And then what happens. That the government turns out to be bare ass. Here after the reform. That is, the very one up to Medvedev, who, which Putin will now claim, will not be Volodin. This is an affront. So therefore, now we will appoint someone to the government, to the chairman of the government. So talk there with the State Duma. Government and State Duma. Here you are there separately. And the power structures that ensure the security of the state, they will be in another place. I have always said that Putin always, choosing between security and modernization, will always choose security. Is always. And he chose. He is the most trusted, most reliable, in whom he is absolutely sure, moves to control the power – train, man. It may come in handy.
A. Solomin – Ria – News quoted Dzhabarov: “The president offered Medvedev essentially the post of vice president.”Do you agree?
A. Venediktov – I agree with Dzhabarov. Usually disagree. Now I agree. This is such a proto, proxy vice president, absolutely agree. In this sense, this is not a constitutional position; it takes it beyond the scope of the Constitution. There is no such post in the Constitution. Neither vice president nor deputy. Chairman of the Security Council. Makes him a free position. Do everything.
A. Solomin – And he deduces it from reporting …
A. Venediktov – He is not accountable to anyone but the president. just in front of the president. He is appointed by decree and will be removed by decree.
A. Solomin – But this squiggle, if I understand it correctly, the president actually put the government at risk, but elevated Medvedev.
A. Venediktov – He did not jeopardize the government. He just said, look, the security forces will be approved by the Federation Council. He said that he agreed with the Federation Council. This means they are being pulled out of parliament.
A. Solomin – From under the State Duma.
A. Venediktov – Yes. The lower house of parliament. Well, great. So who oversees the security forces? Security Council that will formally lead the Security Council? President, but he is at the head of everything. Who will be the operational manager? – Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev. Therefore, I would agree with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who has just been on our air, that it can be said, formally, do not understand this, reduction or not, because the person is being transferred to a position that was not there. And what are its functions. What resources. You were engaged in economics. Get busy. You are being transferred from civilian to power. And the power ones are the main ones. And security is more important than your rates and your inflation. Security is more important.
A. Solomin – Before that, it was clear that 4 top officials of the state. Now.
A. Venediktov: I will admit that the head of the Vaino administration knew about this, maybe Nikolay Patrushev as Secretary of the Security Council
A. Venediktov – Formally.
A. Solomin – The first person is the president, the second person is the prime minister, the third person is the chairman of the Federation Council, and the fourth person …
A. Venediktov – And now also.
A. Solomin – This is a new face.
A. Venediktov – Look. In fact, in terms of authority, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev possessed enormous resources. I’ll say maybe for some people it’s remained a secret, for those who have been doing this it’s not a secret for a long time that the entire operation to annex Crimea was carried out by the Security Council and Patrushev. Not the Minister of Defense Shoigu, not the chief of the General Staff, not the Ministry of the Interior. Not the Air Force, Airborne, and so on. Implemented by Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev and the Security Council.
A. Solomin – Strategically, you mean.
A. Venediktov – Even promptly, Patrushev came to the Crimea, he himself talked about it. He directed on the spot.That is, he was engaged in military security and civilian. In practice, it was a power parallel government. Now Medvedev is moving there. And I will say a terrible thing. I agree with Dzhabarov, this increase. Because if suddenly for some reason the president wants to resign early in order to head the State Council, the Federation Council in a different configuration, then it is clear who becomes the heir – Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev.
A. Solomin – We’ll talk about this in more detail now. Just a couple of words about the government. Shares of Russian companies respond by lowering the resignation of the government in London. This means that the financial economy is losing.
A. Venediktov – That means this. That the person who headed the financial-economic unit – Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev – went to the post leading the security forces. Well second. And who is now the roof, the protection of the civilian part of the government by the financial and economic block, who will become, who will become the chairman. It’s one thing if Siluanov becomes one, for example. Another thing is if someone suddenly becomes outside the government. With another resource. Who? And here we have Naryshkin. Not Alexei, but Sergey Evgenievich. Sergey Naryshkin. And here we have Sergey Sobyanin. And here we have Sergey Shoigu. Well, you can choose among Sergeyev. We have among Alekseev, among them among Sergeyev. That is, in fact, it will now be important how the new prime minister will be able to interact with the civilian part and with the Duma. Once again, I think, the government is closed on each other, and there are like two hedgehogs. And let’s do it.
NEWS
A. Solomin – 17.18. We continue the broadcast. In the studio of the radio station “Echo of Moscow”, YouTube channel “Echo of Moscow” Alexey Solomin. Our guest today is the editor-in-chief of the radio station, Alexei Venediktov. I remind you that the grid is really changing today. Now in the “Dissenting Opinion” Alexei Venediktov. At six o’clock – “DayDuya” will be Stanislav Belkovsky. Be sure to come and in the evening we have information channels, a little later you will also find out more details.
A. Venediktov – At 19 o’clock in the “Special Opinion” Prokhanov. At 20 hours – an information channel. We will see further.
A. Solomin – The resignation of the government, the transfer of Dmitry Medvedev to the newly created position.
A. Venediktov – Under it.
A. Solomin – Under it.
A. Venediktov – Under it! How much do we know such …
A. Solomin – Deputy Chairman …
A. Venediktov – Security Council of the Russian Federation.
A. Solomin – Coim is Vladimir Putin, today many have learned about it. First.
A. Venediktov – Yes, by the way, everyone confuses and says, I would like to stop again for our listeners to think about it. It seemed to me very accurate the nomination of Medvedev as vice president. Because Putin is always a fan of control and security. He always has in the first place the issue of security, the military, the development of military equipment. Well, you see it yourself, you know. And so he sets and says, today he said it, now he exercised, and now now he practiced security and defense. With my scope. Practice, boy. You may be on the scene soon, may Dmitry Anatolyevich forgive me. We talked the day before yesterday with Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev …
A. Solomin – Describe.
A. Venediktov – Well, what to describe. Well, with neither his eye, nor muscle, nor wink …
A. Solomin – In a good mood.
A. Venediktov – In a good mood, in very good shape. I do not believe that he did not know about this movement the day before yesterday. The message was prepared in great secrecy. I will admit that even the head of the administration, Anton Vaino, knew o a post that until today did not exist. To the post of deputy first and only deputy chairman of the Security Council. this, maybe Nikolay Patrushev as secretary of the Security Council. But I think that the circle has been exhausted. And then he is too big. And he was in good shape, joking, recalled the interview that he gave us in the ninth year, on the anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war. He should not have spoken. I just say that he was in the mood.
A. Solomin – That is, he did not look unhappy.
A. Venediktov – When he looks unhappy – he does not communicate. We know this very well. That is, on Monday at 15 o’clock Dmitry Anatolyevich was satisfied. In a good mood, light, outgoing mood. Now it is not clear whether the meeting was scheduled. Now, probably, it will fly off somehow. I think so.
A. Solomin – Almost bought tickets.
A. Venediktov – Tickets purchased. But someone will be in his place.
A. Solomin – By the way, also an interesting question: who will be. But judging by your words, now it does not have so much …
A. Venediktov – No, of course, it matters. Because we talked about the first echelon, there is a second echelon. Very serious people. Which are members of Putin’s team with different views. As a matter of fact, there exists, say, I did not name it – Sergey Chemezov. And his Dauphin Denis Manturov. For instance. Which many predicted as prime minister, or rather the first vice prime minister, relatively recently, when the government resigned. What Minh reminded us of today, however, he forgot to say that then the prime minister was reassigned. Here you have, please, another Chemezovsky candidate – Manturov, for example. Of course, Sobyanin.
A. Solomin – Shuvalov everyone forgot.
A. Venediktov – Yes, of course, Sobyanin, of course, Shuvalov. Once again, of course, Naryshkin. Of course, Shoigu.Because maybe he will now begin to change the security guards too. Translate, do not punish. But we know that the war in Syria was not dealt with by Shoigu, but by Gerasimov. Chief of General Staff. We know everything as it were.That is, of course, and Shoigu too. But the General Staff carried the main one. There are people who are ready to become the Minister of Defense. The current commander of the Air Force. Etc. VKS – military space forces. Sorry for God’s sake. That is, in fact, this is the beginning of the displacement, because, of course, Medvedev, we must understand that Medvedev, when he configured the government, is not only Putin. So I just know how it was. I can’t say that everything was in front of my eyes. But something was in front of my eyes. They agreed that Siluanov would be the first vice, retaining the Ministry of Finance. Maybe you don’t have to save – no, you have to save the ministry.Here Golikova returned to social programs. You see. This is also Medvedev. And this story, I won’t be surprised if Golikova leads. Because what Putin was talking about social programs right now is coming to the fore. I won’t be surprised at all. But I will not be surprised if Sergey Naryshkin will head. Former head of the State Duma and now director of the SVR. Close, loyal person. The second person in the state. If something happens, God forbid – the second person will lead the country. Therefore, when appointing the prime minister, Putin must think: yeah …
A. Venediktov: The outcome of the transit will most likely be the reproduction after the 24th year of Vladimir Putin’s personal authority
A. Solomin – By the way, when we talk about the second person in the state, we must keep in mind that this is prescribed in the Constitution. Because if the president is dismissed, acting
A. Venediktov – Sick. Like Boris Nikolaevich. I just remember, maybe our listeners don’t know how when Boris Nikolaevich went to the operation, this was the only time that the nuclear case was officially handed over to Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. And several people say that when Boris Nikolaevich left the anesthesia, the first thing he said was: where is the suitcase. That is a sign of power. Therefore, you can get sick, you can go to surgery.
A. Solomin – And the prime minister is at the head.
A. Venediktov – An Important History. Important.
A. Solomin – No changes have been announced in this part of the Constitution today.
A. Venediktov – It simply cannot be changed today. That is, if you charge me, I, of course, will cheat on you in three days, but you are unlikely to charge me. That is, it can be done, but not so. He is the second.
A. Solomin – You listed people who could become …
A. Venediktov – And for sure there will be the one whom he did not name. One hundred pounds.
A. Solomin – I wanted to say something.
A. Venediktov – I remember: Zubkov, Fradkov. Everything was past.
A. Solomin – These people are considered leaders of political clans, between whom this struggle is allegedly going on.
A. Venediktov – Not Only Clans. Not this way. Political clans, when there are clans, they have clan interests. Which leader of which political clan is Chemezov or Shoigu. Well no. These are people who participated in making very important decisions. They do not need to be reintroduced. They participated in the development of the main political and economic subjects. This is what matters. In this period. And the clans, here Dmitry Anatolyevich was the leader of the clan. And where is this clan. Someone in prison, someone in a chess federation. Let’s not talk about clans.Vladimir Vladimirovich is watching this very carefully.
A. Solomin – Maybe this is a struggle, in fact, with manifestations …
A. Venediktov – Vladimir Vladimirovich – Don [Spanish] Donov. He is Don Don, great don. Therefore, the game, of course, is meant, but I repeat again, this is the beginning of a certain transit. Which we do not understand, we understand that the result of the transit will most likely be the reproduction after the 24th year of the personal power of Vladimir Putin. Probably. But it is necessary to somehow equip, equip. Or shift different powers, translate them. And constitutionally, and personnel, which is very important. The constitution – yes to hell with it. But staffing is very important that it is at that moment that loyal people are in key places. And what is the key place? This is what I will designate as a key location. That is where I will transfer the authority to control these key places. Once again, I remember all the time, I, Putin, Vladimir Putin – a fan of security and control. And where there is control and where there is security – there should be people who are just one click away from me.
A. Solomin – The President, the presidency itself, in my opinion, today has not undergone any significant changes in the logic of Vladimir Putin. That is, he has freed something or will have to coordinate something with someone. But overall it is a presidential republic.
A. Venediktov – To coordinate, to assert this in reality is as if we live in a state of law. He said a very important thing.These are the eternal discussions that he had between and he had with the chief editors before, for a long time, however, they have not been. Discussions. Russia is a presidential republic. And in his understanding, in my opinion, the federation is bad. Russia should be a unitary state, an institution of power. And it is very important that in those constitutional changes that he talked about and generally in the changes, he said two very important things that reflect his view. Strengthening presidential power. The president is entitled, if all goes well, to make the dismissal of judges of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts. This is absolute power. The judges were formally independent; this is a guarantee of independence. They cannot be removed; they can only be removed by a judicial corporation on its own. Now it will be possible. The second one. Local government. Municipalities. Cities, mayors. They were not included in the system of state power both in our Constitution and in international conventions. Now international conventions can be down. They will come in now, he said it, he said it, the president said it. And finally, regional prosecutors. Which will also take place on the proposal of the president, through the Federation Council. That is, he takes away prosecutorial supervision from the region, and we have a system like à la Peter the Great. Eye of the Sovereign. In the Lipetsk region, in Blagoveshchensk, in Tatarstan. In Chechnya.
A. Solomin – Plenipotentiaries should have dealt with this.
A. Venediktov – The prosecutor has a formal opportunity for supervision. Plenipotentiary is something like that organizing. And the prosecutor is a case. Consequence – Supervision of the investigation.
A. Solomin – That is, it is not only the eye of the sovereign, but also pens.
A. Venediktov – Eye in the sense of …
A. Solomin – Eye – Plenipotentiary.
A. Venediktov – Eye of Mordor.
A. Solomin – Yes. Regarding the presidential election. Do not you think that they will be early.
A. Venediktov – It does not matter. That is, it matters, of course, but I think that all the same, he first needs to rebuild everything. First, he needs to prepare a site where the powers will flow, where he will go after them.
A. Solomin – That is, in today’s announced …
A. Venediktov – He cannot say today that I am leaving, I am tired, I am leaving. And he went to Mount Athos. Well, okay. And here you are somehow spinning around without me, here Dmitry Anatolyevich is there, the new acting prime minister is acting president.
A. Solomin – But why not?
A. Venediktov – It seems to me, because I imagine that I can’t. Here is how I can explain to you. I dont know. I was absolutely not ready, I do not know who was ready for today’s story. He was constitutionally ready. In separate conversations, in hints, let’s do it. In part, he said that. Partially, people who wrote messages communicating over a glass spoke. But to the fact that he will dismiss the government today. What for? And then, to free Medvedev. And then, to move Medvedev to new powers. And then, in order to have safety to his left, but a younger one. To Patrushev, too, already, in general, nothing. And to repeat, I repeat, under it – a separate story. Therefore, I repeat again, I usually disagree with Dzhabarov, now I absolutely agree. This is a proxy vice president.
A. Solomin – Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev – the main confidant of Vladimir Putin.
A. Venediktov – Of course. All the way. There is not even a doubt. I never had a doubt, I always talked about it.
A. Solomin – And many said that he was such a secret oppositionist. For instance.
A. Venediktov – They have different points of view on certain things, and they are known. And they are known to both of them.
A. Solomin – Disagreement.
A. Venediktov – This is not a disagreement. These are different points of view. And when Putin was the prime minister and President Medvedev, he, meeting with us, said: Well, a decision has been made, I, in general, criticize him behind closed doors, but this is the president’s right. This is a presidential term. And I urge you to respect the same thing on the contrary, here are the prime powers.
A. Venediktov: We have a system à la Peter the Great — Eye of the Sovereign.
A. Solomin – We will now take a break for news and advertising. Alexei Venediktov is today a guest of the Minority Opinion program. Watch us on YouTube, you can ask your questions short and likes, we will now continue to talk on YouTube.
NEWS
A. Solomin – Continuing the “Special Opinion”. We are discussing the resignation of the government. And the associated transit that has already taken shape.
A. Venediktov – It became clear that there are fewer options. That Putin will neither be at the head of the government, nor at the head of parliament. That is, two options are crossed out. Remained the State Council, the Federation Council, the Security Council a la Nazarbayev. Like the supreme ruler now. And perhaps the president remained if Zorkin explains to us that 25 qualifications are zeroing.
A. Solomin – I wanted to talk about this.
A. Venediktov – Why speak. Explain.
A. Solomin – Well, I don’t know how to explain.
A. Venediktov – On new conditions, the presidential election is held on new conditions.
A. Solomin – That is, Valery Zorkin should say this. In a referendum, for example.
A. Venediktov – Valery Zorkin will say this is the interpretation of the Constitution. The Constitutional Court interprets the Constitution.
A. Solomin – But this is not a new Constitution.
A. Venediktov – No, any Constitution is interpreted by the Constitutional Court. And here is the new Constitution.
A. Solomin – I mean, this is a change to the Constitution. To accept a new document …
A. Venediktov – This is a new document, it is a constitutional change.
A. Solomin – In general, who interprets how.
A. Venediktov – I treat you like Zorkin. I’m telling you how … They say so, it will be so.
A. Solomin – I want to ask students to ask questions in the chat. I will closely monitor and pay attention. What remains unclear to you. Could this be due to the fact that the option with Lukashenko failed? – they ask.
A. Venediktov – Well, of course. This may be due to the fact that everything in the world is connected. But the option with Lukashenko did not work, he simply did not become the main option. He seemed to drive off. Of course, he keeps in his head and now you will see a lingering squabble. But why, and now I told you, my common acquaintance with Putin told me, they said, listen, of course, it is beautiful with Belarus, this is the unification of the country. This is a historic event. But you can change the Constitution. Easier. Not beautiful, but simpler. Also legal.
A. Solomin – Sergey Bobrov asks how you evaluate Alexei Kudrin’s chances of premiership.
A. Venediktov – I’m not evaluating anyone for the premiership. Because now, if I understand Putin correctly, two things are important for him in the premiere. The first is to make him responsible for economic failures. And to entrust to him all the economic work. And the second is the person who is behind him. Which is formally the second person. In this sense, Alexei Kudrin can satisfy these two positions. Therefore, I evaluate as well as Sobyanin, and Siluanova, and Shuvalov.
A. Solomin – And admit that this may be a new person. Such a new Vladimir Putin.
A. Venediktov – Quite. Governor Some. I admit, after the story of how Mikhail Efimovich Fradkov and Zubkov was appointed, when no one understood at all, Zubkov walked altogether, from the position of head of the financial police. Well, actually. And Fradkov came from a position of foreign trade in my opinion. At all. Who could have come to mind. I admit everything.
A. Solomin – You said that now is the best time for this, because the opposition is fragmented.
A. Venediktov – For the election. Of course.
A. Solomin – What is the fate of the opposition movement now?
A. Venediktov – Leftist moods are very great. I think that the decision, that is, the Communist Party has great chances.We see regional elections. For elections to the Moscow City Duma. And parties with leftist rhetoric have very good chances. Where governors are elected. In the Moscow City Duma, a third of the deputies. And it seems to me that all these decisions of the first part on maternity capital, on education and health care are just for the left. That is, to return this left audience to itself. I understand your problems, solve them like this. Let’s get here. Therefore, in this sense, the Communists are also confused. Their slogans have taken.
A. Solomin – That’s what they always did. When it was necessary.
A. Venediktov – Therefore, they need to shift from the left. I think that for a newcomer, elections can be early, listen, the main goal. Why is everything for transit. Elections are not for elections. Elections to the State Duma – to ensure a constitutional transition. In the constitutional transition. That’s when Putin will count, or rather, the people around him will find it, maybe erroneously, maybe it’s not necessary to hold elections – then they will hold them. From the point of view of the goal, and not from the point of view of self-choice, self-employment.
A. Solomin – By the way, a referendum does not make a decision on this referendum mandatory.
A. Venediktov: The option with Lukashenko did not pass, he simply did not become the main option. He kind of drove off.
A. Venediktov – I do not think this is a referendum. I think it will be the same as in the 97th, I think there will be a popular vote. Like this. A referendum is difficult because one year before the end of elections to the State Duma, a referendum cannot be held. That is, the last point of the referendum is September of this year. That is, this referendum can be held on September 8.
A. Solomin – In Crimea, everything was arranged in 10 days.
A. Venediktov – Well, as you say. Could be so. We are ready for this.
A. Solomin – New State Duma, now there will be elections in 21 years …
A. Venediktov – If there will be regular elections.
A. Solomin – If there are no early ones.
A. Venediktov – If the government is ahead of schedule, why it is impossible ahead of schedule. Everything is possible. They themselves will come and ask: dissolve us.
A. Solomin – For now, everything that was today at the message to the federal assembly looked like a redistribution of powers. Strengthening the Parliament. It seems to you that indeed.
A. Venediktov – Still, this is not strengthening in the parliament, strengthening of the parliament are such things, many things are not registered there. For example, who represents the premiere, who calls the first premiere.
A. Solomin – He did not say.
A. Venediktov – I did not say. And the ministers are already represented by the prime minister. Yet again. That is, no deputies nominate ministers, not factions. That is, this is a matter of consultations again. Therefore, not too extended, but formally expanded. In parliament, if there weren’t a majority, it would be a bargaining problem. It was the same State Duma as it was elected in 1999 or 2003, where “United Russia” did not have a majority. This would be a bargain. And for the future, this may be a bargain. And now is not a subject of bargaining.
A. Solomin – The only difference there is that they do not coordinate, but affirm.
A. Venediktov – Well, good. Do you care? … There remained the president’s right to dismiss by mistrust. Well, firstly, all ministers are appointed by presidential decree anyway. Suppose the president has been appointed a minister whom he does not want. Impossible, but suppose. I appointed him and then fired him. For distrust.
A. Solomin – They ask: why such an urgency? Is Putin sick?
A. Venediktov – Well, listen, I’m not only not a spokesperson, I’m not a personal doctor either. In general, doctors, not journalists, should talk about the disease, so to speak between us. But I think that there are circumstances that we do not know about. Let’s confess. And what is urgent. Nothing urgent. I think that Putin, perhaps, has now shown the heir. Successor. And he realized that from the post of prime minister he was not very popular, now Medvedev has little chance of being elected honestly, more or less honestly in a popular vote. People are unhappy with the increase in retirement age. The fall in living standards. This is all government in fact. We see. We can see from the polls that Putin has everything there, 67 and the government has 30-20. That is, he is not elected. May be. Maybe he decided that. Well, let’s move this dangerous place. Now let there conditionally Siluanov with a small letter koryachitsya. Or Kudrin. Or Sobyanin. But here he will grow up in safety. This is a very special matter.
A. Solomin – You have already said several times today about growing up. Grow up in the end?
A. Venediktov – One of the differences between Medvedev and Putin was the issue of security. The issue of the Libyan campaign then, was the issue of election of governors. Where control weakened. Not an appointment. And the election. This is a weakening of control. Well, let him see, he is already a member of the Security Council. And now let him steer. And he will understand that control is very important. It grow up in this zone.
A. Solomin – Is there no feeling that Vladimir Putin then put him a deuce in international relations?
A. Venediktov – Four. But not the top five.
A. Solomin – That is, maybe, to grow even in this direction.
A. Venediktov – Maybe. So no, the Security Council is exactly about it.
A. Solomin – When you talk about strengthening the security sphere, about more attention to security issues and security groups. Does this mean that we are having such a mobilization campaign?
A. Venediktov – We always have a mobilization campaign.
A. Solomin – In a military sense. That we are preparing for some kind of major conflict.
A. Venediktov: The legitimacy of Russia as a great state comes from May 9, 1945.
A. Venediktov – I can’t tell you this. I do not think. It’s just that President Putin has really been from the 12th year since his third formally third and formally fourth term, he has become more and more what they wrote in books – reactionary, militaristic. We see it. He makes bets, makes statements, introduces troops back and forth, the fifth to tenth. Therefore, this is simply his trend. So long as we don’t have hypersonic missiles, they won’t reckon with us. I have already said and I will repeat again, the legitimacy of Russia as a great state comes from May 9, 1945. But it must be confirmed with something. Not an atomic bomb of the 49th year, but a hypersonic missile. To talk with us on equal terms. To talk to me on equal terms. Therefore, the legitimacy of May 9, 1945 is a great victory; together we divided the world. Yalta-Potsdam. Together divided the world. And now, plus hypersonic missiles, well, relatively speaking, that’s it. And then they talk to us. And then I go to Berlin to study Libya, on the left – Merkel, on the right – Macron. And then Trump picks up the phone when I call. Here.
A. Solomin – We will now take another break for the short news and return to the studio. Ask your questions in the YouTube broadcast in the chat.
NEWS
A. Solomin – Continuing the program. A few more minutes. I wanted to ask you, I remember about the questions, I carefully follow. I wanted to ask about the primacy of national law over international. Today, the president also said this.
A. Venediktov – This is his old idea. He believes that sovereignty is generally indivisible. Although, by joining international organizations, we recognize their rules. Which are consensus. And the story began with the adoption of a law allowing us to implement the Convention, that is, the decision of international courts, in particular the European Court of Human Rights. If the Constitutional Court permits this. Actually, this payment, by decision of the ECHR to Yukos, of one billion 860 million euros, I recall, it was a decision of the ECHR. The Constitutional Court made a special decision not to pay. But this is a separate case. Everything else must be done. And now optional. Now I want – I am doing it, but I want – I am not doing it. I mean if such a decision is made. That is, all our international obligations, which, by the way, are also accepted by laws, are voted, signed by the president – they become optional. That was the president’s idea for a long time. As well as a unitary state, I already spoke about this.Therefore, it was not surprising. As well as local government. Inside the power. Not surprised.
A. Solomin – Irina asks: do you think that Putin will be able to feed the Russians Medvedev again? Only the lazy does not laugh at him.
A. Venediktov – You know, I remember these conversations when I got out between Ivanov and Medvedev, and everyone said: oh, cool Ivanov, a scout. He worked in England. What kind of tumbler is such Dmitry Anatolevich. Fed.
A. Solomin – The last question.
A. Venediktov – By the way, I must say that we will talk about the presidency of Medvedev, which he left. And there is a positive.
A. Solomin – I will only have time to announce the next few airs. I remind you that at 6 o’clock today at DaiDuja Stanislav Belkovsky. Apparently, a significant part of the issues will also concern the resignation of the government.At 7 o’clock in the evening – Alexander Prokhanov in “Special Opinion”, at 8 – an information channel. At 10 pm we will continue to talk about the resignation of the government. We will have Gleb Pavlovsky and other experts.
A. Venediktov – And at 9 – Alexander Nevzorov in his place. Will also comment.
A. Solomin – Thank you very much. Alexei Venediktov is today a guest of the “Minority Opinion”. Be sure to listen to us not only on the air, watch us on the YouTube channel “Echo of Moscow”, on Yandex-air. Put your likes. And leave your comments under this video. Thanks a lot.
