Meeting with journalists.Part 1
March 27, 2004
Bocharov Ruchei residence, Sochi
Беседа с журналистами
27 марта 2004 года
Сочи, Бочаров Ручей
QUESTION: When did you decide that Mikhail Fradkov would be appointed Prime Minister, and why? Several people were probably considered. What qualities made him stand out among other candidates? And what did not satisfy you in Mikhail Kasyanovs Government?
VLADIMIR PUTIN: First of all, I would like to say that I was not dissatisfied with the work of Kasyanovs Government. I am simply convinced that from time to time, the personnel of such key structures in the state needs to be changed. According to the Constitution, the President can be elected twice for four years. During these possible eight years, things should not be rushed, but it is useful to change the personnel of the supreme bodies of power. People get used to their high positions, and they become surrounded by hangers-on, minions, cling to old ideas, and begin to value their place too highly, instead of working hard and thinking about the development of the area they work in and the country as a whole. This is an unavoidable component of any bureaucratic structure. So I repeat, there should not be any fuss and constant personnel reshuffles. People need to be treated with care, but systematic changes are necessary. This is the first point.
Secondly, over the last year it became clear that the dynamics in Kasyanovs Government were being lost. I discussed this openly with him; we had a very good working relationship, and still do. He agreed that over the last six months, as he said himself: I think youre right the dynamics have been lost. But I think that this had been going on for a year, not half a year. Everyone had already started thinking about the elections. And, this is a significant factor they could not decide on administrative changes, or more important things in the sphere of the economy and social development. This is the second reason, perhaps the most important one.
As for Mikhail Fradkov, we had known each other for quite a while, although not closely. I met him around 1995, when I worked in St Petersburg, and where as you know I was in charge of the citys foreign economic ties. Mikhail Fradkov was at the time first deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Ties of the Russian Federation. We did not have any business relations, and we met in the usual way he came to St Petersburg to see his younger son who was studying at the Suvorov Military School.
I must say that at the time this made a very strong impression on me, because back then, while some of our leaders were building Russia, many of the so-called elites were pilfering everything they could and hid it away. And when in these conditions a person doesnt find a cushy position for his son, but sends him to another city, and whats more to the Suvorov Military School I must admit that this made a favourable impression on me. I repeat, no personal or official relations developed between us. Only later, when I was working in Moscow, our paths occasionally crossed. But, when I was working in the Presidential Control Directorate, I had the chance to receive information about the work of various ministries and departments, including the departments where Mikhail Fradkov worked.
His character, the style and the results of work, his focus on results, his personal qualities as an honest person were in no doubt even back then, when there wasnt even any question of any special appointment or promotion for him. This attitude gradually formed from completely objective information that came from different sources. As you know, he later worked for Ingosstrakh, and returned to the Government he essentially worked in the same department, which simply changed its name. It was initially the Ministry of Foreign Economic Ties, then the Ministry of Foreign Economic Ties and Trade, and after that, I think, just the Ministry of Trade, I dont even remember now. At any rate, it was the same department. And, I repeat, he worked very well there. Later, working in different positions, I got more familiar with his work. Then Fradkov worked in the tax police. This work was essentially under my control. So there was a history to my relations with him. And the information was quite objective.
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В.Путин.Интервью ОРТ,РТР.25.12.00 Part 3by niknikolay851 views
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