Fedotov: My membership in the ATP was a mistake

The head of the Presidential Council of Human Rights, the former member of the Federal Political Council of the Union of Right Forces, Mikhail Fedotov considers his membership in the party a big mistake. Fedotov said this on the air of "Echo of Moscow". “This, of course, was an absolute mistake on my part. I always reproached myself in every possible way. And I left the ATP very quickly, I did it at the congress, saying that I could not be in a party that does not adhere to, in general, some human rules,” Fedotov said.

To this step Fedotov, he said, prompted the refusal of the ATP to support Irina Khakamad in the presidential election in 2004. He recalled that most of the same party members decided not to support Hakamad.

Fedotov also stated that he was a "non -partisan" person. "I have never been in any party, I never worked in the public service," Fedotov said.

Since 2004, Fedotov has been a member of the Committee-2008. In 2010, Fedotov headed the Human Rights Council under the president after leaving this post Ella Pamfilova.

Answering the question of what the most difficult decision he had to make in life, Fedotov said: "I had many such decisions. Probably, one of them is connected with my consent to become the chairman of the council, which I have been heading for two and a half years." According to Fedotov, he, like Ella Pamfilova, who left his post, insisted that the Council head Alexander Auzan until the last moment, but the then President Medvedev "said that he would work with Fedotov easier for him."

"Medvedev convinced me. Because when I said that Auzan would be better, Medvedev convinced me literally with one question:" That is, I understand correctly that you refuse? "And here I said:" No, I do not refuse, Dmitry Anatolyevich, as you decide, will be so. And my thought was simple, ”said Fedotov.

About the same difficult for Fedotov was the decision to take the post of deputy minister of the press, which he was offered in 1990. In 1992-93, Fedotov headed the ministry.

Fedotov also believes that the Human Rights Council does not succeed. “But I convince myself that something turns out, I manage to do something, which means that there is still benefit from you,” the head of the HRC added.