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Excerpts
In 2002 the Moscow News opened a new section. Each of its protagonists could have become President of Russia. Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia. Here are some excerpts from the Moscow News publications on the man of the year.
The leader of YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky:
Firstly two years have elapsed since Vladimir Putin began working in the Kremlin. Today he has begun to understand what is going on in the country. Secondly, he has begun to appreciate his role as a statesman v these are the specifics of the Kremlin walls and his post. But Putin realises that he is constrained by the very people who helped him come to power. These people did not believe that he could become a statesman.
Q: I thought it was a myth: the "ex-team" holding Putin by his hands and legs:
Yavlinsky: He has to act via them. He picks up the receiver and who would he prefer to call - you or me?
Q: You :
Yavlinsky: I don't have bureaucrats on my payroll, I don't have power in television, I don't have any control over financial flows.
Q: Does he control all these areas?
Yavlinsky: He somehow placed his people and they began fighting - some struggled for re-distribution of property, other simply settled scores with their predecessors. But in my view, today the President sees that neither the old, nor the new people can do anything about the situation.
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