Andrey Vandenko
You’ve complimented the opposition by saying that it is necessary, including the non-systemic one.
Vladimir Putin
Well, it was not a compliment, this is my belief. I sincerely think so.
Andrey Vandenko
By and large, the opposition we have is tame. You can feed it from the palm of your hand.
Vladimir Putin
Well, that is not true. When…
Andrey Vandenko
Systemic. What we call systemic.
Vladimir Putin
Listen, we have four parliamentary parties. Quite often they have their own vision. True, United Russia holds the controlling stake in the State Duma. Some may say: you know, it's … a bit boring.
Andrey Vandenko
A window dressing.
Vladimir Putin
No. A little bit boring.
Andrey Vandenko
A decoration.
Vladimir Putin
No. A bit boring.
Andrey Vandenko
It is boring, Vladimir Vladimirovich.
Vladimir Putin
Yes.
Andrey Vandenko
Pretty true.
Vladimir Putin
Yes, yes.
Andrey Vandenko
Honestly?
Vladimir Putin
Yes.
Andrey Vandenko
A bit boring.
Vladimir Putin
I understand. Do you want to jump for joy when a fight breaks out there like in Ukraine or in some other place?
Andrey Vandenko
"No place for discussions." We remember this well enough.
Vladimir Putin
No. It is the right place for discussions. But it is not a place for brawls, free-for-alls, or for publicity stunts.
Andrey Vandenko
Well, you sound somewhat too radical – it’s either a free-for-all or a swamp. What about taking some balanced position?
Vladimir Putin
This is what I am telling you. Listen to Gennady Zyuganov’s speeches.
Andrey Vandenko
Oh!
Vladimir Putin
What makes you say, oh? He has his own stance, and not only does he have [his own stance], but so do other members of the Communist Party.
Andrey Vandenko
Both he and Zhirinovsky, they were already grandstanding when you were working in Dresden.
Vladimir Putin
It doesn’t matter. It's unimportant.
Andrey Vandenko
In other words, a professional opposition politician who lives at an official residence run by the Presidential Administration and rides around in a BMW limo with flashing VIP sirens is perfectly fine with you?
Vladimir Putin
Yes. Now listen.
Andrey Vandenko
But isn't that so?
Vladimir Putin
If you want to be that way, you won’t hear my answer.
Andrey Vandenko
I'm listening.
Vladimir Putin
Right, so we have this non-systemic opposition. What does it mean? It means legitimate parties. They have their rights (we have 50 parties all in all). We have now liberalized the registration of political parties. We have 50 of them now. Whether a member of an opposition party uses a car or not is a different question. What really matters is what attitude he takes towards the authorities and the decisions proposed by the government or the ruling party on specific issues. Apparently, you want to throw me off track… but you won't succeed. What I'm going to say is this… There is the United Russia party holding the controlling stake.
Andrey Vandenko
Right.
Vladimir Putin
Right? There are other parties who quite often disagree. There are just 4 of them in the parliament. They disagree with the ruling party's point of view. Certainly, you do remember what went on in the 1990s, you are old enough after all. It was a total mess, not a parliament. Brawls were frequent and there was no chance to make a single decision. Still worse – do you know what was still worse?
Andrey Vandenko
What?
Vladimir Putin
What was even worse was that the decisions they made were impossible to implement. The economy was driven into a dead end. That's where it led to when there was no constructive discussion. Now, my question is, whether you want to see either this same old song and dance there or decisions of national importance made. On this score, I feel compelled to recall one well-known Russian statesman. Do you remember what he said? "You need great upheavals, while I need a great Russia." I believe we all need a great Russia, not staged performances at different levels of political power.
Andrey Vandenko
Obviously. The opposition is needed to act as a pain in the neck for the ruling establishment.
Vladimir Putin
Yes. Yes-yes, right. That's why I said that we need both the systemic and non-systemic opposition. I'm saying so not as Russia's current president, but as an ordinary Russian citizen. However, we don’t need pandemonium. Nor do we need any shows. We need serious political activity.
Andrey Vandenko
Well you know, a non-systemic opposition figure is immediately seen as an enemy of the state.
Vladimir Putin
Nothing of the sort. Nothing of the sort. Where did you get this idea from? Or do you wish to think so yourself? This has nothing to do with reality. Why? We have 50 parties. Fifty. People must… You know what? Don't you see, it is necessary…
Andrey Vandenko
People must have the opportunity to express their opinion loud and clear without any conventional party…
Vladimir Putin
The political awareness of Russia's ordinary citizens has grown over the past year. Yes. We can enjoy watching someone's shocking escapades. Yes, we may like to see critics exposing somebody. Nevertheless, even an average person wants to see not just somebody criticizing the authorities, but hear and understand what is being proposed by those who do the criticizing. What solutions do they offer to the problems the country is faced with? When nothing but criticism is heard in reply, then the question arises: Who should you vote for? Who should be elected to the local and regional legislatures and the federal parliament? The average person of course goes to and from work, every day, but it's not enough to just offer to put food on their table.
Andrey Vandenko
I simply assume you are a strong person.
Vladimir Putin
I hope so.
Andrey Vandenko
Experienced in martial arts.
Vladimir Putin
I still practice martial arts nowadays.
Andrey Vandenko
And still more so, since you still do it nowadays. Playing giveaways is unworthy of you. There must be a decent opponent. But an opponent who rides around in a BMW and uses a state-owned countryside villa as his home is unlikely to argue with you in earnest.
Vladimir Putin
Yes. Listen to me. Do you think that in any other democratic country, including the United States, members of Congress or the Senate ride to work on a goat …
Andrey Vandenko
It’s not just about members of the House or Senate...
Vladimir Putin
Or on a debilitated horse? They use official automobiles there, too.
Andrey Vandenko
The limos are not the point, really.
Vladimir Putin
No, this is exactly the crux of the matter. You've in fact hinted that they are sort of being bribed. They use everything that the state supplies them with for administering their functions. They receive it from the state under the existing law, and not from the incumbent authorities. Whether [the individual is] a member of the opposition or not… Once a person holds a certain post, he or she has everything the state is obliged to provide according to law. For carrying out one's activities. Even those efforts the individual campaigns for and represents, propelling him into a certain body of power, say for example to parliament. It's not the President who provides an official automobile. This is important. The President and Presidential Administration are obliged by law to provide this, regardless of whether he likes a legislator or party leader or not.
Andrey Vandenko
It's not about members or their cars...
Vladimir Putin
That's the whole point. This means that the government is obliged to provide everybody with the same opportunities to perform their political functions.
Andrey Vandenko
My focus is on the political struggle rather than on official VIP limos or villas.
Vladimir Putin
That's part and parcel of the political struggle. The state is obliged to create conditions for adherents of any views to have an opportunity to work effectively. And not to permit a situation when the parliament speaker might say: "Are you from the ruling party? Fine. Here's a BMW for you to cruise around town with. And everybody else will drive cheap clunkers". No. Everybody must enjoy equal conditions.
Sources: State Duma, Russia's Ministry of Justice.