TRANSCRIPT [Putin]: Seliger 2013 Youth Forum (transcript continue)

(Kremlin.ru – August 2, 2013) Vladimir Putin visited the Seliger 2013 National Youth Education Forum, taking place in Tver Region on July 14-August 5.

The President met with the Seliger-2013 forum participants and examined the best youth projects and public initiatives.

This was Vladimir Putin’s fourth visit to Seliger. He previously visited the forum in 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Seliger 2013 offers three theme sessions: the Youth Projects Forum; the Business Forum; and the Civic Forum….

QUESTION: Hello, Mr President.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Hello.

QUESTION: You supported me and my Khryushi Protiv project at Seliger three years ago.

Thank you for your support. This is our third year fighting for access to high-quality products for consumers, and just as you advised us, we are not giving up.

Today, if I may, I would like to tell you about my second project, and if you support me in this new venture, I will begin implementing it in September.

Manufacturers take us for fools, and we often pay ten rubles for things that actually cost one ruble. We will make it possible for every individual to use photos on their phones to see whether there is a Russian equivalent of a given product, and maybe that product costs less somewhere else.

My goal is to tell everyone how they are being hoodwinked by advertising, to tell people about comparable products that cost less. After all, anyone can invest the money freed up through conscious consumption in themselves, their development, their growth, rather than the growth of a European brand. Mr President, we will create an information system that will motivate people to buy domestic products. In addition, we have prepared a video clip for you, but unfortunately, the format of this meeting does not allow me to show it to you. If I may, I will give you the flash drive that contains it. Perhaps you might have a minute to view it in the helicopter as you fly to your next meeting.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Thank you.

This is clearly a good project. It’s a wonderful idea. Almost every nation organises movements supporting domestic producers. We have more and more high-quality products; they are becoming better and better. But we also have many problems. Still, I will take advantage of your question and the proposals you have presented.

After all, we have joined the World Trade Organisation precisely for the purpose of providing free access to our market of high-quality, inexpensive goods. This isn’t just for consumers’ benefit (although that, too, is important). Mainly, we want to give a boost to Russian manufacturing, so that our own companies produce goods which are better and cheaper than their foreign equivalents. And this is possible; Russian products will always be lower priced because there is no delivery mark-up. Many production components are cheaper here. I hope that is exactly what will happen. Although following our accession to the WTO, some sectors will also face certain problems; we need to support them, and we are developing that support policy. We are working on this and will continue to do so in the future. Your initiative is brilliant. Please continue, and good luck!
<…>
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Normal Media, go ahead, please.

ROMAN KOVRIGIN: Hello, Mr President.

My name is Roman Kovrigin, I developed the Sdelano u Nas [Made Here] Internet project. We are an online community tackling an important challenge: we are trying to balance out the information field being created by our media. You see, it veers very strongly toward the negative, particularly when it comes to Russia. You turn on the television or open the newspaper, and you’ll see that something sank, exploded, fell or was stolen, for example.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: And do you have a suggestion or a question?

ROMAN KOVRIGIN: We are working to publish the news stories that Russian media are not publishing ­ in other words, about new factory openings, the construction of new roads and bridges, and so on.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Your publication will have limited readership. You won’t earn much.

ROMAN KOVRIGIN: Perhaps, but the project is quite popular.

My question is this: isn’t it time for the government to get involved? We have federal media, whose goal, in theory, is to show things objectively, to talk about Russia objectively. Nobody is saying we need to hide the nation’s problems or keep them secret. But we also need to show the other side of the coin.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: First of all, it is certainly great to have people like you, who are doing this. But I want to note the following. There is one very important aspect to bear in mind: if this work is done exclusively using government funding and with government support, then trust toward this kind of information will be very low. You see, that’s the thing. We need to do this in a talented, interesting way, inspire people, make this information attractive to people, and at the same time, receive minimal support from the government, even though this is certainly a noble cause. What you are doing is absolutely vital. But the more money you receive from the government, the more you will be labelled a certain way, and the less your information will be trusted. Let’s think about it together.

I see someone with a sign “I want an Oscar.” What do you want an Oscar for?

QUESTION: Hello, Mr President.

My name is Sergei. Two years ago, I created a comic strip about you called Super-Putin, which has become the best-known Russian comic strip in the world. I believe it has been seen by 20 million people. There were reports about it on every TV channel, ranging from the BBC to Al Jazeera. It just so happens that I am a creative person and you inspire me. So this time, I’ve decided to make a feature film about you; I have put together a team of young but talented filmmakers.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: What for?

REPLY: It is a kind of challenge. I’m sure that many people have tried to make films about you, and I am sure you get plenty of offers to appear in films, but not many people know how to make them truly popular online. But I definitely do. My team and I went to St Petersburg, filmed nine hours of material, met all of your neighbours and most of your colleagues. They told us stories.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: What a nightmare.

QUESTION: For example, Alexander Kostrikov from City Hall talked about how your office was organised. The secretary had this elaborate lamp on her desk, and everyone thought it was there just for decoration, but it actually had a secret button, and when it was pressed, the door to your office was locked. So anyone who tried to barge into Putin’s office was unable to do so, and you had a second door through which you could exit. Thus, we learned that even back then you were the Putin that we know today.

Your neighbours from Sredneokhtinsky Avenue, the Tyurin family, told an even more touching story. They talked about how once you brought your parents a holiday tree for the New Year; they went to see their neighbours and said, “Why do we need this tree? We are old already, but you have children, why don’t you have it.” The neighbours said Mr Putin probably didn’t know about the fate of that tree.

We have already started filming. This movie will be released, whether you like it or not, and it will be popular. But I would nevertheless like to ask whether you would cooperate with us. Would you agree to give our film crew a brief interview, at a time that would be convenient for you?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: I wish you success. With regard to giving an interview to your film crew, I will have to think about it. Since you are already doing this, I cannot forbid you from going forward with it, but you should do it independently from me so it is unrelated to my work.

Thank you.
<…>
QUESTION: Hello, Mr President. I am Nikolai from Moscow.

Recently, many political organisations and their leaders have been calling on the public to take part in unauthorised rallies, to fight with the riot police and kick up a row in various ways.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: I thought you were going to talk about agriculture, but apparently, you want to discuss politics.

QUESTION: The people who do not want to join these rallies are being called vegetables. So we have come here today dressed in vegetable costumes. This is a question from the “vegetables,” so to speak.

On July 18, there was another unauthorised political rally in front of the State Duma. Many people wrote on the walls, glued posters to buildings, and were arrested. I know that criminal proceedings were initiated against several people, but most importantly, the individuals who gathered these people via the social networks and incited violence got off scot-free. My question is, how do you feel about this, and will they be punished?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: The first thing I want to say is that every individual has the right to express themselves. Every individual can and has the right to express their point of view, their position, including a critical one, with regard to anybody in the nation. What’s important is for all of this to be done properly, in compliance with the law, and it must not violate the rights and interests of others. This is extremely important. If we do not grasp this, if we descend into chaos, then we will face the same kind of chaos as certain other nations, say, in the Middle East. Who needs that? Nobody needs that.

Now, how should we regard these individuals? Our nation knows its history; it should know its history. And I hope we will not have any more activists in our history like Father Gapon, who organised a rally and disappeared along the way. Thank you.
<…>
QUESTION: Hello, Mr President.

My name is Saidat, I represent the I’m the President’s Helper movement. We come from Dagestan. Our group was formed less than six months ago thanks to you and the head of our republic, Ramazan Abdulatipov. During this time, Dagestan has undergone many changes; you, like no one else, are aware of this.

First of all, thank you very much for the fact that we are here in Seliger and have the opportunity to ask you some questions.

With regard to the changes that have taken place: in the past, young people who were trying to realise their potential did so mainly through sports; today, thankfully, we have new directions and new opportunities. We thank you for this.

And more on the topic of changes: we would very much like for you to visit Dagestan. You know what is happening there today better than anyone else. And right now, we need your presence and your guidance more than ever because we are at a threshold and need to understand which way we should go next. So Mr President, your helpers await you in Dagestan.

Please come visit.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Thank you.

Dagestan, and the North Caucasus overall, is home to many highly talented individuals. You have a deep, long-spanning history and a very rich culture.

The most important issue there today is unemployment, especially among young people, as we already mentioned here. I am very pleased to note that many republics in the North Caucasus are moving forward on this matter. So far, unfortunately, the progress has been very slow.

We have programmes for the south of Russia and for individual regions in the southern part of the country. We will implement all of these programmes and we will certainly think about how to improve them further. So I am confident that together, we can achieve a great deal.

Thank you very much.

Over there there’s a poster that reads “Good question”. What is this good question?

ASLISHO AKIMBEKOV: Friends, I believe that thoughts are material things. So good afternoon, Seliger! My name is Aslisho Akimbekov and I am a student at Moscow State University of Culture and Arts.

When I came here and heard that the President would be our guest, I got an idea. I thought for a very long time about how to raise the largest possible amount of money to save children suffering from very serious diseases, for example by setting up an auction. I propose that we collect the most treasured things belonging to top leaders and presidents, and hold a very big auction to sell them. If you support my initiative, you’ll be the first President to have done so. To be honest, I thought that the President of Tajikistan would support my idea, because I am a citizen of Tajikistan, but as you see I reached you first.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: It’s true that we need to think together about ways to tackle these problems. But I think for people in my position to put their most expensive things up for auction is probably the simplest thing they can do, but not the most effective one. Together we need to look for the most effective ways to address the problems facing our country, or both our countries, if we are talking about yours too. Yesterday I met with the President of Tajikistan, with whom I have very good, friendly relations. Your country is facing many challenges. Only now, after many years of civil war, can the situation be more or less stabilised; various state agencies that ensure security are being set up, and the first steps towards developing the economy are being taken. We wish you good luck.

Thank you.
<…>
VLADIMIR PUTIN: Let’s have the “astronauts”, please.

PAVEL KHIMCHENKO: Hello, Mr President.

We are trying to give a certain slant to the patriotic education of our young people by drawing on our famous astronauts. We believe that space science is Russia’s core strength. We were the first to send a man into space, the first to do a spacewalk, as well as the first to send a woman into space. And we believe that all this is essential for our country’s identity as strong and powerful. In general, we believe that people like [Yury] Gagarin, like [Sergei] Korolev [leading Soviet rocket engineer], who said: “There is no such thing as an unsolvable problem”… We believe that it is precisely space science that should constitute the basis of young people’s patriotic education.

Today we heard a variety of interesting lectures, and one of the lectures we attended was given by our famous astronauts. We were simply marvelling at how these people ­ the heroes of our time ­ truly are heroes! And young people should look up to such people. Not to Western culture, but to precisely these people. We believe that this should constitute the foundation of our young people’s education.

Mr President, how do you feel about this initiative and what would you say to it?

Thank you very much.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: My answer will be very short: I am certainly glad that you are focusing on our country’s best aspects and most striking achievements. We certainly do have a lot of things to be proud of. So go ahead.
<…>
VLADIMIR PUTIN: That there ­ the “creative class”.

QUESTION: Hello, Mr President.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Hi.

QUESTION: My name is Gleb.

I don’t know what the creative class is; I was just trying to get your attention.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Well done.

QUESTION: My question is about [Alexei] Navalny.  I think he’s quite an interesting character, and a lot of things work out for him. He is arrested and released, arrested and released. This has been going on for such a long time now.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Maybe he is also attracting attention to himself.

QUESTION: There is a rumour that last time you personally ordered his release. There is also a rumour that Navalny is a US State Department project. There is another one that he’s the brainchild of the so-called Team Medvedev. There are a lot of rumours about whose construct he is.

Mr President, my question is as follows. In all sincerity, can you tell me honestly: is Navalny your project?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Every person, if they are indeed someone’s project, is only that of their parents.

In the light of my two previous terms as President and my work as Prime Minister, everything that happens in Russian politics ­ not everything, naturally, but some things ­ and all these people are partly the results of my actions. What is the meaning and purpose of my actions? To ensure that the public has the opportunity to get to know different people with different views of how to address the various challenges our country faces, and to help it evolve towards a better future. So, in that sense the answer is yes.

You made a sign saying “creative class” and attracted my attention, and you did so very well. You can start fighting particularly acute problems, such as corruption, and draw attention to yourself too. I believe that any person who starts to fight against a given evil must first of all set an irreproachable example. For example, if people want to fight alcoholism, they themselves must not drink.

REMARK: Not even on holidays.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Not even on holidays, do you understand? That’s very important. This is the first point.

The second. Everyone needs to learn to abide by the law, not just make a lot of noise and shout “Stop thief!” Rather, they need to put forward some sort of platform and promote it in a reasonable way without aggressiveness. As for the court verdicts, please believe me when I say that I do not follow the case on a daily basis. I do not deny that I thought it was strange when a defendant who cooperated with the prosecution got a suspended four-and-a-half-year sentence, and the second suspect, the one you referred to, was slammed with five years in prison. But it is up to the court to decide what happens and how.

But I think the most important thing, including when we decided to liberalise political activity and facilitate the registration of political parties, is the fact that everyone can express themselves. The public must decide what it all means and whether this or that individual deserves their trust. We will see what happens during the political campaign.
<…>
QUESTION: Mr President, please tell us what you will do after the end of your political career?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: I hope my career is not finished yet.

The world is full of interesting things, and in general people should not limit themselves to any one field. When a person is only concerned with politics or their profession it inevitably leads to certain intellectual limitations and cuts down their opportunities.

I have a lot of interesting things going on, and I have many hobbies. I hope my future activities will be useful and interesting. But government work and public activism, for example, are slightly different things. I assume that I will continue to be involved in public activities.

Thank you very much.

DENIS FOMIN-NILOV: Hello, Mr President.

My name is Denis Fomin-Nilov. I am a professional historian at the Academy of Sciences.

We as young historians are very worried that Russia’s youth is not particularly inspired to study history. Unfortunately, the learning materials currently used in our schools are a big part of the problem; they are made of paper, and they are boring and unappealing. So we are very concerned that in carrying out your instructions on creating a single national textbook, we must nevertheless keep in mind that learning materials should be based on the latest technology. Basically, they should employ 21st century innovations, rather than using 19th century technology, which is how our educational process is structured today.

So first of all, we would like to give you some experimental learning materials. We hope that you will find them interesting to read. At the very least, they will augment your library.

And here is my question: what do you think, how can we transform history from something boring into a subject that is interesting for young people, so that they truly get engaged and realise that without understanding history, they cannot be true patriots or good citizens?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: You know, I could ask you the same question. After all, you are the history expert. And you must make suggestions on how teaching your favourite subject can be more effective, interesting and captivating.

Our history reads like a mystery novel or a love story. We just need to present it nicely and smartly. After all, most people know that Peter the Great married Catherine I, right? You know this, and the majority of our people know where she came from. She was ­ it seems indecent to say this today, but that’s the truth ­ she was a war trophy. And what happened? Let’s just think about it for a minute. I want you to hear this: Peter the Great was such a strong personality, he was such a “tough guy,” as people like to say today, and self-confident, that he took this woman, his soldiers’ spoil, and made her the empress of a great nation. So that’s a love story for you. It can be so interesting and captivating… and here, I’m only bringing up one segment of our history.

I don’t even want to get into the military victories now, or the grandeur of those victories, because clearly, if they hadn’t happened, there would have been no such nation as Russia. So it is up to the professionals to figure out how to teach this. I am prepared to help in any way I can.

DENIS FOMIN-NILOV: Thank you very much.

Can I give this to you?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Thank you.

QUESTION: Mr President, I represent the Kuznetsk Basin, which lies at the heart of Eurasia. And the Eurasian Youth Union has a presence there. For nearly a decade, our fighters, Eurasian Youth Union members in Moscow and other cities throughout Russia and neighbouring countries, have been asserting Russia’s sovereignty, asserting its might, and fighting for a multipolar world. So my question is as follows: do you feel that the Eurasian Union and its political prospects ­ as a player on the global arena ­ are the inevitable future of the entire Eurasian space and CIS member states, the former Soviet Union? Shouldn’t we stop referring to this space as the CIS or the former Soviet Union, and start referring to it as the future Eurasian Union?

Thank you.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: You know, this is a very important question concerning our past, if we are talking about history, and our future. The most important element in all these processes is to ensure it is entirely voluntary for all its participants, so that all participants in the process understand the political benefits, the benefits in terms of assuring security, and most importantly, the socioeconomic benefits. As far as we are concerned, they are clear.

You see, integration processes are happening throughout the world: in North America, in Europe, in South America, in Africa ­ everywhere. Everywhere, nations are joining forces to achieve better economic and socio-political results. This is certainly a major priority for us in the Eurasian space, in the former Soviet space. Why? Because this would provide us with very clear advantages. What are they? They include a common language, the Russian language, the language of international and even intergovernmental communication; a common transport system; a common energy system; and the common desire to achieve major results. Naturally, we will move toward this goal. We are facing the challenge of forming the Eurasian Union on the basis of the Customs Union, which we have created. This is a difficult challenge, and it is a two-way road that involves seeking and achieving compromises.

QUESTION: What can we, as young people, do to help? The Eurasian Union and other organisations ­ how can we help, in the humanitarian sector, or elsewhere? What can we do to help you?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: You need to show other young people how promising this idea is. You can either stay confined within your national borders or move forward more efficiently together.

You are smart, modern, creative individuals; you yourselves will find arguments in favour of joint development. I am confident that you will do this, since you certainly understand how important this is.

Thank you.

QUESTION: Mr President, we greet you on behalf of the Serbian delegation. We want to say that we are very happy to be here with you. Our goal is to develop cooperation between youth organisations in Serbia and Russia. We would like to present you with several gifts. One of them is an icon of St Basil of Ostrog, as well as a flag on which the citizens of our nation and the citizens of Republika Srpska have written some very interesting messages to you. We would like to ask to take a photo of you with our delegation.

That is all. Thank you very much.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Thank you very much.
<…>
QUESTION: The VKontakte social network questioned its users asking them: “What question would you ask Vladimir Putin in Seliger?” My question received the largest number of likes, so I am here to ask it today.

Here it is: you once stated that if a person is happy about everything, then he is an idiot. So what are you unhappy about in your life and in the life of our nation?

VLADIMIR PUTIN: There are many issues, there are many problems whose resolutions leave me unsatisfied. The first issue and problem is the fight against corruption, which is tearing apart our society and our state system.

The second issue, which is related to the first one, is the low income level of our citizens.

The third issue is the insufficient development of our infrastructure, which significantly affects the development of the entire economy. There are many, many issues pertaining to regional development. And, of course, we are never satisfied; we will never be satisfied, with the quality of the work of our government offices and the political system itself. What does this mean? It means that we must all work together to bring these problems to light and suggest effective ways of resolving them. I hope that is exactly what will happen, especially with participation by young people.

Thank you all. We will have to draw this meeting to a close.