When Putin was first elected, he sat in Stalin’s dacha all day with Russian Federation Communist Party chief Zyuganov, who admits he has a direct line to the President and holds monthly consultations with him
On Wednesday, January 22, on the air of Radio "Komsomolskaya Pravda" (as part of the "Party Wednesday" program), the Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee spoke for the first time about his contacts with President Vladimir Putin.
Questions were asked by Alexander Gamov...
...- Gennady Andreevich, according to my sources, you quite often communicate with the head of state, meet with Vladimir Putin. And we are not always told - Putin or Zyuganov - what kind of meetings these are. You have Putin's mobile number.
- You've been asking me for it for a long time.
- Yes, can you give it?
- You know perfectly well that I, first of all, will not give, I have no right. And secondly, Putin has those types of connections that...
- And I have a Kremlin switchboard...
- I have a direct one. And there is one more feature. Both ministers and governors should learn from him. When I call him, he always calls back.
- What are you talking about with the president?
- I have a huge experience of both Soviet and international. He was in 80 countries, performed at all universities. I am sending all the materials of the plenum, our decisions, statements, to everyone - to the president, the Security Council, the government, and the governors. They read, watch. I'll tell you straight, Putin can listen. Many people don't know how to listen.
- To Putin - in electronic form or on paper?
- No, in any form. Both the Pravda newspaper and Soviet Russia are sure to...
I must say that the president is always open to dialogue. And this is very important. He shows an example of how to build relationships in the Duma...
He understands what stability is. And in this regard, he always listens to our proposals.
From the point of view of experience, when he was elected president, he came to our headquarters at night, and asked for advice. I still know Russia and the Soviet Union by heart. And he and I sat at Stalin's dacha all day.
- During the last presidential campaign or earlier?
- No, when he was elected... (for the first time as the President of Russia. - A.G.) now regularly, every month we hold full consultations.