Live with President Vladimir Putin - Hot Line (excerpts)Part 15
December 24, 2001
Moscow, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, village of Kazache-Malevany (Krasnodar Region), Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk, Murmansk, Rostov-on-Don, St Petersburg
Прямая линия с Президентом России
24 декабря 2001 года
Москва, Владивосток, Екатеринбург, Казань, хутор Казаче-Малеваный (Краснодарский край), Калининград, Новосибирск, Мурманск, Ростов-на-Дону, Санкт-Петербург
I think if we put our minds to it and introduce this practice in our country, without any revolutions, not only with regard to St Petersburg, but also some other big cities, such as Nizhny Novgorod, that would be a sound approach.
SERGEI BRILEV (asks a question online): Sergei Anatolyevich Timofeyev, civil servant, Riga; Andrei Anatolyevich Gulov from Tashkent: Is Russia going to defend the rights and interests of Russians in the Baltics, Central Asia and other parts of the former USSR in reality and not only in words? VLADIMIR PUTIN: I dont know whether you have noticed it or not, but I would have thought that the Government and especially the Foreign Ministry have recently taken a much more active stand in protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population, and especially the citizens of the Russian Federation who live abroad, first and foremost in the CIS countries.There are many examples but I dont want to dwell on them. There are some specific issues connected with financing. That is first of all maintaining a certain level and sending the right amount of newspapers, magazines, books and various publications, but especially textbooks, and promoting the status of the Russian language. All this is being done.If you feel that not enough is being done I can assure you that we will increase our efforts in this area there is no doubt about it.
YEKATERINA ANDREYEVA: We continue to get questions online. If time permits we will put more of them to Vladimir Putin.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: By the way, pardon me, if we are still on the previous question, we have a very interesting example in Europe, which I am sure we should all use. I am addressing the questioners and those who are interested in hearing my answer.As you know, in Macedonia, under the pressure of the European Community and the OSCE, they decided that the Albanian population, which accounts for, I think, 20% in Southern Macedonia, should be represented in the same proportions in the bodies of Government, including the military and security agencies, and that includes the police.I think we have to admit that if it is a fair rule, then we have grounds for spreading it to the Russians, including the Russians who live in the Baltics. In Riga 40% of the population are Russian-speaking people. And they can just as well demand that the same rule apply to them.
SERGEI BRILEV: By the way, Askar Akayev in Kyrgizia is today signing a law that will grant official status to the Russian language.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Yes, I know. I have already sent a letter of thanks to Askar Akayev. I think it is a very important step in the right direction.
DEKABRINA KOGOTKOVA (Kazan): Dekabrina Borisovna Kogotkova, pensioner. I have a question: oil prices are falling. Will it affect our pensions and our wages? Thank you and a Happy New Year to you.
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Dekabrina Borisovna, let me tell you that we will do everything so that it does not affect you. I am almost 100% sure we will succeed. I have already answered a similar question, but let me say it again.
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