Discussion between Shevchuk and Putin (video + transcript)

Transcript of the conversation between Vladimir Putin and Yuri Shevchuk:

Vladimir Putin: Please, we can talk about any topic related to our today's topic, or we can not.

Yury Shevchuk: Mr President, may I?

Vladimir Putin: Yes.

Yuriy Shevchuk: It’s just that I received a call the day before yesterday, and your assistant, probably some (I don’t remember his name), asked me not to ask you sensitive questions - political and so on ...

Vladimir Putin: Excuse me, what is your name?

Yury Shevchuk: Yura Shevchuk, musician.

Vladimir Putin: Yura, this is a provocation.

Yury Shevchuk: A provocation, okay.

Vladimir Putin: My assistant could not call you about this.

Yuri Shevchuk: Well, not your assistant, some kind of eccentric, yes.

Remark: It's not boring anymore!

Yuri Shevchuk: I have questions. To be honest, we have accumulated for a long time and, taking this opportunity, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has gathered here, because you see in front of you, perhaps, the beginnings of a real civil society, which you are talking about and we are dreaming about.

What I want to say. I have several questions. The first is freedom. The word is. Freedom of the press, freedom of information, because what is happening in the country now is a class country, a thousand-year-old. There are princes and boyars with flashing lights, there are draft people. The gap is huge. You all know this.

On the other hand, the only way out is for everyone to be equal before the law: both the boyars and the draft people. So that the miners do not go into the face, like penal battalions. So that everything is humane, so that the person in the country is free, self-respecting. And then we will raise patriotism. Because you can't create patriotism with a poster, but here I see a lot, and I'm not alone - the intelligentsia, bespectacled, let's say - we see a lot.

We see this poster, external manifestations. An attempt to display patriotism, some kind of conscience in the country through hymns and marches, and so on. We went through all this. Only civil society and the equality of everyone before the law - absolutely everyone: both you and me - then something will begin. We will build hospitals and help children... children, the crippled, the elderly. All this will go from the heart, sincerely and honestly.

But this requires freedom of the press, because it does not exist now. There are one and a half newspapers and half television. In fact, what we see on the “box” is not even a controversy, these are the same marches and hymns.

In fact, the protest electorate in the country is growing, you know that too. Many are dissatisfied with the current situation. What do you think will happen, do you have any plans for really serious, sincere, honest liberalization, democratization of a real country? So that public organizations are not choked, so that we stop being afraid of a policeman on the street. Because the policeman is now serving the authorities and his own pocket, and not the people.

In general, we have a lot of repressive bodies. I sincerely ask this question. And I conclude with this question: on May 31 there will be a “March of Dissenters” in St. Petersburg. Will he accelerate?

All.

Vladimir Putin: Everything?

Yury Shevchuk: So far, yes. I can give you what we composed with the guys. They didn’t even make up, but some facts, what is happening in the country, our opinion.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Thank you. I will definitely look. First of all, I would like to say that the country will have no future without normal democratic development.

Yuri Shevchuk: Of course, it won't.

Vladimir Putin: This is an obvious fact. Because only in a free society can a person realize himself. And, realizing itself, it develops the country, and develops science, and develops production - according to the highest standard. If this is not the case, then the consequences are stagnation. This is an obvious fact and everyone understands. So this is the first thesis.

Second. Everyone must act within the law, you are absolutely right. From this moment on, things come that require a professional approach. You mentioned miners.

Yuri Shevchuk: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: I can tell you that I take everything that happens there very close to my heart.

Yuri Shevchuk: Me too.

Vladimir Putin: But a professional approach requires a balanced analysis of both the legal and economic situation.

Yuri Shevchuk: I agree.

Vladimir Putin: Is that why this is happening there, one of the reasons? They tell me that one of the reasons is that the fixed component of wages at some mines, like at Raspadskaya, for example, is 45-46%, and everything else is like a bonus. And for this bonus, people even go to safety violations.

Yury Shevchuk: I am also aware.

Vladimir Putin: I made such a decision and gave the appropriate instruction to ensure that this constant component is at least 70%. But, Yura, I want to tell you that this concerns coking coal. Now the professional part begins. And there are thermal coals, where the level of profitability is much lower. And all this sits in the tariff, this constant component. If we thoughtlessly increase it, then a situation may arise in which all the mines where thermal coal is mined will simply be closed, they will be unprofitable. If you are in favor of a market economy, then in a market economy they will simply close. And as I understand it, you are a supporter of a market economy, not a directive one!? They will close. This is just one component.

Now you say that the police serve only the bosses. There are enough people in the police. There is a cross section of our society in general. Yes, this is part of the country and people did not come from Mars there, yes. There are people who faithfully serve their people. And they do not spare not only health. And they do not spare their lives, and they go under the bullets. With their cars, the same "traffic cops" who "remove bribes" and "grandmothers cut" on the road, there are those - but there are also those who cover children with their bodies, substitute cars and die. There are some. Therefore, I consider it unfair to smear everyone with one black tar.

Yuriy Shevchuk: I don't smear!

Vladimir Putin: You don't mean it, but you said that the "cops" serve the authorities, not the people.

Yury Shevchuk: Basically, yes. I'm going to the March of Dissenters. We are 500 people and 2.5 thousand riot police. Have we killed or stabbed someone?

Vladimir Putin: I listened to you carefully and did not interrupt. And then we won’t have a discussion, but we’ll get a bazaar!

I think it's unfair - one size fits all. Although there are plenty of problems. We have such a level of common culture: as soon as a person receives some kind of certificate, some kind of stick in his hands, he immediately starts waving it and trying to make money on it. But this is typical not only for the police, it is typical for any area where there are powers of authority and the opportunity to get this crazy administrative rent.

Regarding the "March of Dissent". There are certain rules, they provide that such events are regulated by local authorities. In addition to those people who go to the march of those who agree or disagree, there are other people whose rights we must not forget.

If you decide to hold a "March of Dissent" - I apologize for being too harsh, say, at a hospital where you will interfere with sick children - who from the local authorities will allow you to hold this march there? And they will do the right thing by forbidding!

Yuri Shevchuk: May I answer?

Vladimir Putin: No! And now you want to spend it where people want to go to the country on Friday, for example, simply. Or return from the dacha on Sunday evening. Yes, they will cover you with such cursing! And the local authorities as well.

But this does not mean at all that the authorities should hide behind the things I spoke about and create impossible conditions for the manifestation of freedom of speech. But this is an issue that should be resolved together with the authorities.

I hope that this is exactly what will be done in St. Petersburg, according to the mind: with the right of citizens to express their disagreement with the policy of the authorities on certain issues. But so that the people who will participate in this march do not interfere with others who do not want to demonstrate, but just want to get home on time, want to go to their families, children, and so on. Needs to be worked out.

Actually, I want you to understand. I am sure, and other representatives of state power, this does not interfere, on the contrary, it helps.

Yuri Shevchuk: Of course.

Vladimir Putin: If I see that people have come out not just to “babble” and promote themselves, but say something sensible, specific, point out some pain points that the authorities should pay attention to, then what is it? bad?! Thanks must be said.

Yuri Shevchuk: Here.

Vladimir Putin: This is how I feel about it.

Yuriy Shevchuk: But you see, the local authorities immediately clog up all the squares with all sorts of carousels on this day. There is a lot of hypocrisy here.

Vladimir Putin: I agree with you here.