Transcript of Putin's Press Conference

[Moderator] The end of row two, please.
 

State information policy

[Question] Andrey Ostalskiy, BBC Russian service. Mr president, getting back to the subject of Russia and the world. It can now be seen that something is going on in the sphere of economic integration - albeit not in the best possible way. You have spoken about external political issues in detail today. But with regard to the sphere of information, there is the impression that the situation is different, and that barriers in that sphere of interaction are remaining. To take one example, I would mention the information security doctrine. You most probably know that most of the accredited foreign journalists in Moscow found this document, let's say, ominous. Do you agree with any aspects of these criticisms, and if yes, will anything change?

[Putin] Have you experienced anything ominous in this respect personally? Does it hinder you in any way? So an information security doctrine was approved - did it have any real effect on the work of the media? I don't think so. All states pay special attention to this issue. Russia must pay special attention due to the instability of its political system. It is very easy to influence people through the media here, because people have very little experience to guide them. You can count the number of normally functioning political parties on the fingers of one hand. Apart from the Communist Party, there are probably no major national parties anymore – not yet anyway.

There are interest groups, and members of these groups are starting to move hither and thither like Brownian motion before they come to rest. But this field is extremely important. I would not like any action by the state to be explained by the need to ensure security. It is best not to play with this word. I do not think that the conception of the information security doctrine was a total success. I will not criticize my colleagues now, but some things could probably have been put differently.

Speaking about information barriers with our main partners, Western countries first of all, I just don't see them, they don't exist, these barriers don't exist. As we can see today, all leading information agencies and well-known leading journalists are represented here, your colleagues, not only from Russia but also from the whole world.

On the contrary, I would say that we are totally transparent. But we sometimes encounter difficulties. For instance, I am sure there are representatives of Radio Liberty in the audience. Radio Liberty is operating in Russia as a nationwide media organization. But when our press ministry approached the official authorities of the USA with a request to grant Radio Russia or Mayak Radio the same opportunity, to work on the same conditions, our request was declined. Therefore, if barriers are put up, this is not done by us.

This is the first thing. Second, I would like to announce some good news. I don't know whether it is widely known, but the VGTRK [All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company] has become one of the co-founders of one of Europe's biggest media companies, Euronews. A group of our experts is leaving for Lyon. Starting from September, a Russian version of Euronews will be broadcast to Russia in real time. Our listeners and viewers will be able to receive information from this news programme in full. Of course those who watch this programme in the world will see information programmes about Russia. I think this is a very good step forward from the point of view of integrating Russia into the European and global information space.

[Moderator] And is there someone here from Radio Liberty? Your question, please.