For the fourteenth year in a row arranged to Putin, his gigantic press conference, this time with over 1,700 accredited journalists. A record number, according to the state-controlled Russian tv channels.
It is said also in the last year. And two years ago.
Putin’s mammutpresskonferens is a show that he over the years have refined and developed. Today, it could mainly be characterised as a showcase for the domestic audience. It was to a small degree on foreign policy and more about domestic politics. The greater part of the journalists in the hall was from regional media, and it was also they who received the highest number of questions.
Read the DN’s articles on giftattacken in Salisbury
A military academy threatened with closure in Volgograd. A sick boy in Irkutsk in need of care. Invitations to visit their home.
But also complaints of corruption and incompetent officials. For many regional media is Putin’s press conference only opportunity to get local abuses into the light of day.
the international policies to which he usually – by accusing critics of double standards and russofobi.
– Khashoggi’s death, Skripal live. But the case Khashoggi did not lead to any sanctions. We happen out for sanctions is a result of russofobi, he said.
Putin also took the opportunity to give the president of the French republic Emmanuel Macron a good advice when it comes to the yellow västarnas demonstrations in France.
” the French government does not respond correctly on the protests. They have deliberately raised the prices of fuel. It is their policies, they want to bet on renewable energy sources on fossil fuels the expense. People do not like to be forced to pay the bill. Also in Russia has gasoline become more expensive, due to entirely other factors. But the Russian government saw to it to mitigate the price increases.
Russia has suffered from the international sanctions, said Putin in his usual way:
Russia has throughout its history in one or another way so live under sanctions. It has to do with the fact that Russia is becoming stronger and more powerful. One is forced to reckon with Russia and it does not want to, said Putin.
A Ukrainian journalist asked the question how much money the Kremlin has spent to occupy the Donbass. Russia has supported the separatists there with both weapons and soldiers.
” Who was it that started an economic blockade against Donbass? Russia? No. It was Ukraine, they started a blockade against a territory they call their own. They are shooting at their own citizens. We assist these people, and we will continue with it. All attempts to resolve the issue with violence is doomed to fail, said Putin.
Novaya Gazeta got to ask a question about the three journalists who were murdered in the Centralfrika where they would investigate the private company Wagner, who hire out mercenaries and owned by Putin’s friend Yevgeny Prigozjin.
– As I understood it went with your colleagues to Africa as tourists. They announced not to local authorities. By all appearances murdered the of any armed grouping. Investigations are ongoing. I want to express my condolences to your editorial, ” answered Putin.
the question on the pensionreformen – the only issue that has pulled down Putin’s poll in four years – said Putin that he had no choice.
– the Number of förvärsarbetande people in Russia decreases all the time. We will in any case be obliged to reduce the retirement age a few years. We do it now, it is possible to implement incrementally. I knew very well how people would react, I was prepared for this criticism. If I was not convinced that this is inevitable, I would never do it, ” answered Putin.
the press Conference lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes. The record from 2008 is 4 hours and 40 minutes.
