Russia (bbabo.net) - Today, December 23, at the Manege at noon, Vladimir Putin's big press conference will begin. This is the 17th dialogue between the President and journalists. Unlike last year, despite the pandemic, it will be held in full-time format. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov explained that this is Putin's personal decision.
“He understands perfectly well that it is much more effective, more convenient for journalists, and it is more in demand by journalists,” Peskov said in an interview with Channel One.
In addition, the relatively calm epidemiological situation contributes to the face-to-face format. “Firstly, we have technologically adapted to the conditions of a pandemic - once. We are now in a relatively calm period from an epidemiological point of view, which allows, subject to the precautions established by Rospotrebnadzor, to hold this event with the president’s full-time presence,” the president’s press secretary explained in interview to NTV channel.
Note that due to the pandemic and the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, the number of journalists invited to the press conference is still limited. As follows from the list published on the Kremlin website, 507 people are accredited to speak with the president. According to Peskov, more than half of them are regional journalists. He also noted that "from the federal and foreign media, first of all, they selected those who are constantly in touch with us, who constantly, actively cover the presidential agenda." As for the foreign media, the Kremlin spokesman assured that “practically everyone who is accredited here” has been invited. Note that among those who will be present at the event today are singer Sergei Shnurov (indicated as a correspondent for RTVI) and TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak (media OSTOROZHNO)
At the beginning of his conversation with journalists, Vladimir Putin will sum up the results of the outgoing year, including focusing on the international agenda, which is now experiencing great turbulence, Peskov said. "These are political results - we have a new parliament, we had elections, these are the results of the year from the point of view of international affairs, you know that there have not been such turbulent international affairs, probably for many, many decades," Peskov said in an interview NTV.
Separately, the President will talk about the economic results of the year. “We more or less got on our feet after the pandemic shock,” Peskov said.
One of the annual intrigues of the president's press conferences, in addition to the questions and answers of the head of state, is their duration. So, the longest press conference lasted four hours and forty minutes, then the president answered more than 100 questions, this was in 2008. Last year, Putin spoke to reporters for 4 hours and 29 minutes, and during this time he answered 68 questions.
The press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin provides for free communication with the press, which is called "to the last," Dmitry Peskov emphasized. Despite the truncated format of the invited journalists, the president’s press secretary earlier emphasized that “everything will be as usual, everything will be the same, the same Putin will be in prison.” "I will sit on my perch. First, I will hold a press conference, then Putin will tell me to shut up and will conduct the press conference himself. In this regard, everything will be as usual," he said.
To accommodate all journalists in compliance with sanitary and epidemiological rules, this year's press conference had to move from the traditional meeting place - the World Trade Center. In the Manege, chairs for more than 500 people will be placed at a social distance of 1.5 meters. To take part in the annual big press conference, media representatives also had to pass 3 PCR tests - these are the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor.
Traditionally, the press conference will be broadcast live by the TV channels Russia 1, Russia 24, Channel One, NTV and the MIR TV channel, as well as the Mayak, Vesti FM and Radio Rossii radio stations.
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