Medvedev gave an interview to Financial Times commenting on the possibilities of his participation in the presidential elections together with Vladimir Putin. Indonesian companies purchased twelve Sukhoi Superjet 100 crafts at the Air Show in Le Bourget. Meanwhile, an old Tu-134 airplane crashed in Karelia. Find details in weekly expert review of events by FederalPress.
Medvedev gave an interview to Financial Times commenting on the possibilities of his participation in the presidential elections together with Vladimir Putin. Indonesian companies purchased twelve Sukhoi Superjet 100 crafts at the Air Show in Le Bourget. Meanwhile, an old Tu-134 airplane crashed in Karelia. Find details in weekly expert review of events by FederalPress.Medvedev spoke to Financial Times
Monday, June 20, Russiaт mass media actively discussed the interview Dmitry Medvedev gave to Financial Times on Saturday. The President pressed that he and Vladimir Putin were representing one and the same political force and their open competition might not be good for the ruling party’s policy and for the country.
Political expert Grigory Kazankov thinks that the party’s leadership has not yet decided who will be its candidate for 2012 presidential elections. In the expert’s opinion, participation of the Prime Minister is more likely.
“There is no doubt that in Putin-Medvedev tandem only one will run for presidency”.
“If events unfold according to a conservative scenario, this will raise Putin’s chances. I do not exclude the possibility of a third candidate. There is still enough time”.
However, the expert warns that it is too early to make any exact prognosis.
Air crash in Karelia
Tu-134 air craft crashed while landing at Petrozavodsk airport, Karelia, Russia. There were 52 people on board, including 4 crew members, 3 stewards, 2 technical specialists and 43 passenger. The craft landed in heavy storm and got mingled with trees and electricity lines around the airport. 45 people died when the crash broke in parts and burnt. Among the victims there are two citizens of Ukraine, one citizen of the Netherlands, one person from Sweden, and several engineers from ROSATOM as well as famous football observer Vladimir Pettai.
Preliminary investigation report states that the craft’s engines were working till the very end.
Sergey Shishkarev, chairman of the State Duma committee on transport, notices that the accident indicates the problems of the Russian aviation, which are old infrastructure and low level of preparation of pilots and tower men.
“We can’t but feel worried about the frequency of such events, this is a tendency, which cannot be ignored neither by the authorities nor the public. It is ever more often that two main reasons of airplane crashes are voiced – human factor and technical failure. It means that aviation has to face its problems of outdated infrastructure and preparation of pilots and dispatchers”.
Air Show in Le Bourget
The 49th Air Show took place on June 20-26 at Le Bourget, France. Vladimir Putin visited the show at the opening together with Vice Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov, the Head of Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaikin and the President of United Aircraft Corporation Mikhail Pogosyan. The next day Vladimir Putin met with Nikolas Sarkozy to discuss foreign policies and bilateral agenda between Russia and France.
Russia signed a number of contracts selling twelve Sukhoi SuperJets 100 to an Indonesian company, Sky Aviation. One craft costs over 30 million rubles according to the catalogue.
General Director of the Center of Strategic Assessments and Prognoses Sergey Grinyaev commented the event for FederalPress. He points out that Russia should concentrate its attempts at medium distance and domestic flights.
Even though SuperJet is positioned as a Russian craft, 90 percent of its parts and engineering project have been made by Boeing. The expert also regrets that top persons of the country are using foreign aircrafts, for instance, the President’s airplane is Falcon.
“However, Russian aviation has perspectives. We can concentrate efforts on medium distance liners and domestic flights. Enterprises possess the resource to create a competitive model which will be fully or almost fully Russian”.
Prosecutor General
Council of Federation approved Yuri Chaika in the seat of the Prosecutor General of Russia. The officer was re-elected despite all confrontations. In his speech before the senators he voiced out his plans to focus on regularity of salary payments; timber, financial and budget legislation as well as housing sphere. Anti-corruption struggle will also continue.
Aleksey Zudin, deputy director of the Center of Political Infrastructure of Russia, spoke to FederalPress about what to expect from the next stage of anti-corruption struggle. “There was a worry that possible measures would be perceived as some sort of declaration, a campaign. It didn’t happen. Initiatives suggested by Yury Chaika mean that he will actively participate in the politics of the President”.