Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions from Komsomolskaya Pravda after the SCO summit.
Photo: REUTERS.
Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions from Komsomolskaya Pravda after the SCO summit.
… – Komsomolskaya Pravda website, radio and newspaper, Alexander Gamov. Vladimir Vladimirovich, we have already said more than once that, in our opinion, from a legal point of view, the only legitimate government body in Ukraine with which Russia could negotiate is the Verkhovna Rada. Or maybe we should publicly address the Rada with our proposals? Let the people of Ukraine, the West and the whole world hear this…
– We did not say this, it is in the Constitution of Ukraine.
– Yes, in the Constitution. And – continuing with the theme. When the Union of Russia and Belarus was just beginning to be created (and this was December 1999), both in Moscow and in Minsk there was talk of a single currency, a common Constitution… and so on. Perhaps it is time to create such institutions? In the integration processes themselves, and even in the defence line, a lot has been done. Isn’t it time to recreate exactly the kind of union we dreamed of in 1999?
– First of all, as far as Ukraine is concerned, of course one can appeal to the Rada, but given the usurpation of power by the ruling elite in Ukraine, this is pointless. Because the majority of the Rada is subordinate to this so-called ruling elite that I mentioned. After all, it is in power illegally and does not even appeal to the Constitutional Court to confirm its powers.
Because, as I have already said, in 2015 the Supreme Court of Ukraine already decided that the presidential term in Ukraine is limited to five years and there are no grounds for extending the presidential term in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine.
All powers should go to the Rada, but it does not assume them.
So of course it can be applied depending on the practical situation, what happens in real life, it doesn’t make more or less sense.
As for the State of the Union, it is developing. We recall all the goals and objectives that were set out in the initial documents.
But, strictly speaking, this is the path we are following. We have simply decided – and the President of Belarus believes so, and I support him – that at the first stage it is necessary to resolve, first of all, issues of an economic rather than a political nature. It is necessary to create a basis for further rapprochement on the political level. Although, thank God, everything is in order in the political sphere, we also have interparliamentary and intergovernmental structures. Is it now necessary to move, as was initially announced, towards the creation of a single parliament? Well, it is a matter of time. I agree with Alexander Grigorievich that we must adequately strengthen our economic relations.
The same applies to finance and the single currency. In general, no one says that this is impossible, impossible or should not be done, but we need to be economically mature enough to do so. Because in the European Union, in countries with weak economies, when creating a single currency, many countries with weak economies suffered. Because nothing can be regulated by inflation, since everything is tied to the euro.
Well, there is no drachma, for example, and Greece could not regulate its internal economic processes with the help of the national currency.
Therefore, the level of economic interaction must be appropriate. And we have taken very serious steps in this direction. Very serious. These are tax regulations and customs regulations.
You know, if these aren’t revolutionary things, then they’re very serious.
We are moving forward taking into account international experience. I think we are doing the right thing.
– Thank you.
