For the first time Vladimir Putin didn’t exclude own participation in the next presidential elections in Russia. "I don’t exclude”, - he declared reacting on persistent question of the ex-premier of France Francois Fillon during the work of the club “Valdai". "Let’s live and see", - Vladimir Ryzhkov transferred Putin’s words to the journalists.
Then Putin commented McCain's article. "I think that he has deficiency of information about our country," — the head of the state told during a meeting with participants of Valdai club.
- If to wonder, you will understand that decision to be elected the head of the state for the fourth time and painful reaction to McCain's reproaches are interrelated things, - the editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk Anatoly Baranov considers. - All rushed to condemn old man McCain for not enough respectful attitude to the Russian power, while the article is strong because he wrote 100% of truth. It doesn’t matter what McCain's motives were, maybe, he wants to ruin Mother Russia and to drink blood of orthodox babies, but correctness of his position thus is absolute.
“I make that claim because I respect your dignity and your right to self-determination. I believe you should live according to the dictates of your conscience, not your government. I believe you deserve the opportunity to improve your lives in an economy that is built to last and benefits the many, not just the powerful few. You should be governed by a rule of law that is clear, consistently and impartially enforced and just”.
“A Russian citizen could not publish a testament like the one I just offered. President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don't respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption”.
“President Putin claims his purpose is to restore Russia to greatness at home and among the nations of the world. But by what measure has he restored your greatness? He has given you an economy that is based almost entirely on a few natural resources that will rise and fall with those commodities. Its riches will not last. And, while they do, they will be mostly in the possession of the corrupt and powerful few. Capital is fleeing Russia, which - lacking rule of law and a broad-based economy - is considered too risky for investment and entrepreneurism. He has given you a political system that is sustained by corruption and repression and isn't strong enough to tolerate dissent”.
“President Putin doesn't believe in these values because he doesn't believe in you. He doesn't believe that human nature at liberty can rise above its weaknesses and build just, peaceful, prosperous societies. Or, at least, he doesn't believe Russians can. So he rules by using those weaknesses, by corruption, repression and violence. He rules for himself, not you”.
- Not that someone in Russia doesn't know all this, - Anatoly Baranov continued. – Though everything that is told about us in the West is perceived more sensitively, than if it’s been told in the fatherland. Not once we and other sources wrote and told the same things McCain told. McCain told one more thing, he told that they in America know and understand all these abnormalities of the Russian domestic policy not worse, than we in our country. They don't intend to pretend any more that dealing with Putin they deal with educated politician, not with semi-Asian dictator. That they know the price both of our "elections" and our huge fortunes and their sources. So, generally they know all and now they will begin to speak aloud. Neither the Olympic Games, nor the FIFA World Cups, nor the Konstantinovsky Palaces will help image of Putin’s Russia. It means Putin shouldn't pretend any more, he could simply govern, in simplicity. He could just sit on a throne, while someone knock him over or he won't kick the bucket, there’s no need to play the fool any more, to put Mitya on throne. Fourth time? Easily, though the fifth and the sixth term. While you are healthly.
