Talk to them

At an interregional conference organized by United Russia, Prime Minister and party leader Vladimir Putin, speaking about the activities of the authorities in the North Caucasus, said, in particular: “We need a constant, meaningful dialogue with public human rights organizations.” True, he did not fail to clarify: “of course, there are a lot of people there who are financed from outside.” “But there are also people who sincerely empathize and sincerely want improvements for the better,” Putin added. He did not explain who belongs to which category.

The prime minister added that “citizens should have a real opportunity to send signals to the authorities.” And then - it’s necessary! “Today people in the North Caucasus simply cannot reach official structures, find understanding and support, and often run up against a wall of indifference, mutual responsibility and bribery.” And it’s true: human rights activists talk about this all the time and fight against it. Hurray, he understands! Putin said that “in such alienation between the authorities and society lie well-known problems with corruption, an unfavorable business climate, and the spread of extremist ideas.”