Putin’s press conference: 'It is necessary to continue our contacts with the ethnically close to us… Turkish people'

Expectations vs reality

Today's meeting of the President of Russia gathered the record number of journalists. There was no room in the hall to swing a cat, so some colleagues had to listen on their foot. A lot of topical matters caused such a heightened interest: relationships with Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine or prospects of the launch of 'Platon'.

Journalists were waiting for certain answers to the problematic questions regarding the current situation. Many of them were interested in the forecasts on basic economic indicators: whether the President changes his last year's forecast about future two years.

Today's meeting of the President of Russia gathered a record number of journalists

Vladimir Putin did not confirm the old forecasts but did not make the new ones. Most he tried to explain his understanding of processes and reasons of decisions made than to talk about expectations. Broaching the subject, he did not say anything new as a whole for those who followed his speeches during last months.

Having said about the possibility to continue the regional partnership with Turkish partners, he just brought some positive. And these words were important for Tatarstan. Most answers worked on presenting and strengthening the President's positions that had been mentioned earlier.

Tatarstan decides everything on its own

The main statement that interested Tatarstan was at the very beginning. The colleagues from Kazan asked Putin a question regarding the necessity to cancel the title of 'President' for the head of the republic.

Initially, the head of the government told a joke: 'Call it even pot, just don't put it to the oven'. And then he added that the Kremlin would respect the choice of the 'people of Tatarstan': 'so decide it yourself, ok?'

It seems that from 1 January 2016 nothing will change in the title of the head of the republic.

Journalists were waiting for certain answers to the problematic questions

Turkey: neither friend nor enemy?

Having heard out Russian and Turkish journalists, Putin decided to unite all questions about Turkey in one block. The President of Russia called the very fact that the military shot down the Russian Su-24 a 'hostile act'. He thinks that when the fighter-bomber was shot down, they should have called to discuss it.

So that intergovernmental contact with Turkey is practically impossible. It is appropriate to cite the extended message of the President, which also relates to Tatarstan:

'And as for our Turkic people… Undoubtedly, it is necessary to continue contacts with ethnically close to us, I say us because the Turkic people of Russia is a part of Russia, in this sense, the Turkish people, who I mentioned in the Address, as a friendly people, and other Turkic people were and will be our friends. And we, indubitably, will and must continue contacts with them,' Putin declared and reminded that it was not correct to put the equals sign between the people and the authority of Turkey. 'As the practice showed it is difficult to come to an agreement with the current authority of Turkey, it is even impossible. Even when we say: ''Yes, I agree,'' they stab us in the back for unknown reasons.'

I don't see prospects of improving relations with the Turkish administration at intergovernmental level, and as for the humanitarian one, it goes without saying

The President of Russia admitted that the humanitarian contact is to be maintained. Although the authority is going to impose restrictions in this sphere:

'This is why I don't see any prospects of improving relations with the Turkish administration at intergovernmental level, and as for the humanitarian, it goes without saying. Although there are some problems here too. I think that here the Turkish administration reached the result it didn't expect. We will have to introduce some restrictive measures in the economy and some other lines, for instance, in tourism."

Another question was about the third party's interference. Putin answered the journalists that 'the hint is taken': 'But if someone in the Turkish administration decided to lick the Americans in a certain place. And I don't know whether they did right.'

Syrian matter

In Vladimir Putin's view, the conflict in Syria is to be solved by political approach – another one doesn't exist. 'Anyway, it must be done sooner or later and the sooner the better.'

In this context, we asked the President what event was supposed to be the end point of the military operations of the Russian Federation in Syria. Putin did not give a lucid answer to this question. But speaking about expenses on the operation he said: 'Something should be added there, but it has no significant impact on the budget.'

It should be noted that Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia, said a week ago that the military operation in Syria was completely within the budget of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. Siloviks didn't ask for additional money.

Russia and Ukraine: ''Feel the difference''

The journalist of UNIAN, a Ukrainian news agency, said hello the President for Captain Yerofeyev and Sergeant Aleksandrov, the third brigade, the city of Tolyatti. The first question was about the exchange of the Russian military for Sentsov, Savchenko, Klykh and other natives of Ukraine. Putin noted that the exchange is to be equal: to exchange all for all. «As for exchanges, we have never said there is no one to solve certain problems, including in the military sphere, but it doesn't mean that the regular Russian forces are present there. Feel the difference.'

As for exchanges, we have never said there is no one to solve certain problems, including in the military sphere, but it doesn't mean that the regular Russian forces are present there. Feel the difference

The President also forecasted the deterioration of the economic relationships with the countries as for 1 January 2016, when the new sanctions against Ukraine come into force.

Putin about the investigation against Chaika

The President of the Russian Federation stated it was necessary to find out before deciding any judgments based on published materials.

'It is necessary to understand whether they, prosecutor general's children, breached the law or not. Is there any element in the work of the prosecutor general that have a relation to the conflict of interest? And for this issue, there is a Presidential Control Directorate. I did not want to say it, but it does not mean that we don't think about it.'

He sympathises with lorry drivers, but they have to pay

Putin asked to look into the heart of the problem. He paid the journalists' attention to the fact that all money, including 'every penny', will go to the road repair in the regions. Rostekhnologii (Russian Technologies) and a private company got 10bn rubles to maintain the work of the service directly from the budget of the Russian Federation.

And the President himself sympathizes and understands them: 'I come from a labouring family as well'. From the beginning of 2016, the government of the Russian Federation can cancel the transport tax as an indulgence.

Speaking about the visa-free access, I think we are ready to cancel the visa regime with Georgia

Visa-free access with Georgia

As for the relationships between Russia and Georgia, Putin said it was not Russia who initiated the conflict in 2008. However, the country is ready to re-establish the contacts. 'Speaking about the visa-free access, I think we are ready to cancel the visa regime with Georgia.'

Privatization as perspective

A journalist from The Wall Street Journal enquired whether the Russian Federation was going to privatize state companies. Putin said it was a complicated question that depended on the state of affairs, which, in turn, was changing. In 2015, we didn't privatize anything. But in 2016 whatever can happen.

Daughter?

The journalists couldn't hear a single answer to whether Katerina Tikhonova, the head of Inopractica Foundation, was Vladimir Putin's daughter. He only noted he was not going to talk about his children due to safety matters and added that his daughters 'are not in business and politics'.

According to Putin, now the realization of the project of Turkish Stream practically doesn't depend on Russia

Profits for charity

Putin supported the journalists who criticized the top managers of state corporations who didn't reduce their bonuses but required more money from the budget of the country. But he pointed out that the top managers might channel a part of the sums to charity, 'they wouldn't be poorer'.

Gas under question

According to Putin, now the realization of the project of Turkish Stream practically doesn't depend on Russia. Gazprom is waiting for EC to guarantee its support. But at the moment, nothing changed.

At the same time, the President considers that it is not right to stop the transit through Ukraine completely.

LockedEgypt

Putin asked not to link the ban of the Russian civil airplanes to fly to Egypt. It is explained by exceptionally safety measures.

'Unfortunately, now the authority of the country [Egypt] is not capable of fighting with the threat of the terrorism <…> As soon as we arrange the mechanisms that would provide safety of our people we will remove all restrictions.

The meeting ended by Putin's 'discretionary decision'. Shouting down the journalists' voices who were asking for attention, he said: 'It is impossible to stop it, it can be ended.'

P.S.The meeting ended by Putin's 'discretionary decision'. Shouting down the journalists' voices who were asking for attention, he said: 'It is impossible to stop it, it can be ended.'

This press conference ended the final speeches of the authorities. Now we need to wait for the New Year's address of the President.

You can refresh your memory Putin's statements in the Address to the Federal Assembly and Dmitry Medvedev's speech in Razgovor in the materials of Realnoe Vremya.