Gennady Zyuganov commented on the award of the title of Hero of Labor of Russia
Photo: Vladimir VELENGURIN. Go to Photobank KP
KP political observer Alexander Gamov spoke with the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov, who celebrated his 80th birthday the day before.
… – Comrade Zyuganov’s anniversary has come to an unprecedented end. And – exhausted. And this question arises: Gennady Andreevich, what would you like to say to those who congratulated you, as well as to those who, perhaps, forgot to congratulate you, if there are any?
– Well, first of all I want to thank everyone. They didn’t just congratulate. And they did it in a human way, which especially moves me. Thank you! Because there was a long period in which my position was kept as quiet as possible. There was a time when she was persecuted, when she was judged, threatened, interrogated and outlawed…
– Everything is different now. And it could not be otherwise in a democratic society.
– But I, Sasha, first of all, am grateful to my fate, to my teachers, to my friends and relatives, to all those who fight for truth, justice, those who are faithful to these basic ideas.
– Even before the anniversary, you spoke many times about the meaning of your life and work…
– First of all, this is a service to the people, my beloved and long-suffering heroic power.
Well, and that truth…
– “Zyuganov’s Truth” was the name of the film about “Russia 1”, which was released on June 26, your birthday.
– I would like to note that the work with Evgeniy Rozhkov’s group was quite long.
– Andrei Malakhov also had a program.
– Andrey also did a brilliant job.
But today I want to bow once again to my parents, our large family. My father used to write about a hundred Happy New Year cards. There were eight children in the family where my father grew up. They all fought and defended their homeland.
This winning line has also triumphed among my grandchildren, who also study and work very well. And I hope you continue this glorious path of our ancestors. I would like to greet my best and first teachers: first of all, Yuri Mikhailovich Mikhalev, my rector at Oryol University, who taught me history.
He told me: “Gennady, remember, if you don’t understand the Russian question, then you have no business in big politics.” It seemed to me that this wish was an exaggeration, but as the years went by I realized that he was absolutely right. Because the Russians gathered 190 peoples and nationalities under their flags, without destroying a single language, faith, culture or tradition. Our people did not submit to either the Western invasion or Anglo-Saxon globalism. The people who are now in the fields of their native Ukraine liberating it, along with all our brother peoples, from the Nazis, fascists and flagists.
I bow to Zhores Alferov, a brilliant scientist who came to our faction and said: I want to be with those who love science and education, who value friendship in the country.
A special bow to Albert Petrovich Ivanov, who also passed away after living almost 90 years. He was my first great party leader, the first secretary of the Oryol city party committee, and I was the second. He and I came up with the Oryol Continuity. I also defended my dissertation “Development of large cities, shaping people’s lifestyles.”
Well, I went through all the steps in the party and in the Komsomol, without skipping any. It was a wonderful school.
– And you also worked with Andropov…
– Yes, for me there was a good school in the Central Committee of the party. This was Andropov’s decision.
I refused to move to Moscow twice.
He wanted to complete the experiment of creating a development plan for Orel 30 years in advance. But Andropov said: the leadership of the CPSU must be reinforced with personnel from the localities: young people, under 40 years old, with an academic degree and extensive experience. I was the second secretary of the youngest city party committee in the country. Then I was assigned to oversee Moscow and the region, then there was the Caucasus, the Baltic States, Belarus…
– Let’s go back to your anniversary. How many people congratulated you?
– Do you think I counted?
And the party leadership, and our entire faction, and the primary members of the localities…
And what is also good is that I was also congratulated by my classmates with whom I studied together, my Oryol students, close friends and relatives.
And almost all allies responded.
-And who is this?
– I received congratulations from all my friends in international activities. The leadership of China, Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba.
Miguel Bermúdez (President of Cuba – AG) was the first to congratulate me, calling me early in the morning of the 26th. We spoke with him for a long time.
We have provided and will continue to provide the most necessary assistance to the brotherly people of Cuba. And at one time I helped build two nickel plants there. And when great difficulties arose, at Fidel’s request, Castro came to the aid of Vitaly Sevastyanov, twice hero, cosmonaut, who worked in our faction for many years.
In general, all leaders (ministries, departments, committees and commissions of parliament) responded.
– And the president awarded him the title of Hero of Labor of Russia. How did you perceive this award?
– When the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation was issued, I said: “Our entire team is a hero who withstood enormous pressure, pressure and who preserved all the best that was in our great millennial history and its pinnacle. “It was the Soviet era.”
– When this decree was announced, the entire Duma stood up and applauded.
– In my opinion, it is worth a lot when even your opponents recognize your merits.
– As far as I know, your merits were noted by the leaders of all factions in the Duma.
– And I am very grateful to Komsomolskaya Pravda for its objective assessment of political life in Russia. And to you personally, Sasha, thank you for regularly getting up early…
– At 6.30! Then you won’t be able to get in!
– …call me and give us our joint reports.
And the main task ahead of us is to win definitively. Because without this victory I don’t see a happy future.
– Thank you! Once again, we congratulate you on this great date and great award. We are waiting for you at Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda – in the “Party Environment”.
– Well, okay, let’s agree. Then, I bow to everyone, thank you.
– Thank you!
