Vladimir Putin has been taking part in an annual question-and-answer session with Russian citizens on Thursday, and while we couldn’t possibly comment on what’s prompting his forthright commentary, we have to say some of the things he’s been saying have been, well, candid.
A small sample:
RTRS – PUTIN SAYS WILL THINK ABOUT TAKING PART IN 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
RTRS – RUSSIA’S PM PUTIN SAYS GOVT CANNOT SUPPORT ALL INFRASTRUCTURE MONOPOLIES FROM STATE BUDGET
RTRS – PUTIN SAYS FALLEN RUSSIAN OLIGARCH KHORORKOVSKY ORDERED MURDERS
RTRS – RUSSIAN PM PUTIN SAYS SOME STATE CORPORATIONS WILL CEASE TO EXIST, SOME WILL BE FLOATED ON THE MARKET
RTRS- PUTIN VOWS TO FIGHT REBELS IN NORTH CAUCASUS RUTHLESSLY UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY DESTROYED
RTRS – PUTIN SAYS UNACCEPTABLE TO GOVERN RUSSIA WITH A PERSONALITY CULT
RTRS – PUTIN PLANS TO BUILD 30-32 NUCLEAR REACTORS IN NEXT DECADE
And lest we forget:
RTRS – PUTIN SAYS MANY RUSSIAN NEW RICH HAVE A PROBLEM SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN A TASTEFUL WAY
To which Reuters offers a little more detail:
MOSCOW, Dec 3 (Reuters) – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia’s new rich have a problem spending their money in a tasteful way, commenting on the ostentatious spending by the small proportion of Russians who enjoy massive wealth.
“The noveau riche all of a sudden got rich very quickly but cannot manage their wealth without showing it off all the time. Yes this is our problem,” said Putin in an annual question-and-answer session with Russian citizens.
Putin was responding to a question about a crash involving rich Russians in Switzerland, which local media said involved a Lamborghini sports car and a Bugatti Veyron.
“In the Soviet times some of our rich showed off their wealth by having gold teeth put in, preferably at the front. The Lamborghinis and other pricey knicknacks — they are simply today’s gold teeth which are shown off to everybody,” he said.
So there you have it. Russian ostentatious exuberance firmly nipped in the bud by Putin.
Related links:
Al Maktoum’s yearning for yearlings – FT Alphaville