Почему Послания ПУТИНА НЕ БУДЕТ? - Екатерина Шульман

Summary

• Venezuela: Shulman describes political liberalization that has not yet become democratization. Authorities have declared an amnesty, dismantled some political organizations from the presidential era, and allowed opposition figures—including Nobel laureate María Corina Machado—to return and remain free. Talks between the opposition and government, along with other openings such as restored direct flights to the United States and an unblocked news site, suggest movement. The decisive test, she says, would be new elections in which the opposition can participate. She also notes recent examples of Serbian and Hungarian public broadcasters apologizing for withholding information from viewers.

• Russia’s presidential address: The annual address to parliament will not take place for a second consecutive year, despite the constitutional requirement. Shulman contrasts this with the annual televised “Direct Line,” which she characterizes as a staged exchange involving both imaginary citizens and journalists. She also notes that Kazakhstan is scheduled to hold an address on October 28.

• Government appointments and a tax-service case: The State Duma approved new government appointments without meaningful debate. Meanwhile, Alexander Blitman, a deputy head in the Federal Tax Service’s electronic document-management department and an associate of former government official Grigorenko, has been charged with official misconduct, including unauthorized access to computer information and disclosure of tax secrets. Shulman cautions against directly linking the case to contemporaneous attacks on data centers, noting that criminal cases take time to develop.

• Vladivostok and criminal convictions: Konstantin Shestakov is becoming mayor of Vladivostok. Shulman says the city has a long history of mayors facing criminal proceedings. His predecessor, Oleg Gumenyuk, was sentenced to 12 years for bribery, later signed a military contract, and has now been released from serving his sentence after receiving a state decoration. His property was also returned. Shulman mentions a similar reported case involving the head of a medical institution in Primorsky Krai, who returned to the position after military service. This may indicate a broader pattern, though its scope is unclear.

Presenters and Contributors

• Ekaterina Shulman, political commentator
• Interviewer/host, unnamed in the subtitles