Putin disapproves of tasteless comments by Russian media on ethnic minorities, other states
NALCHIK. Nov 29 (Interfax) - The distasteful remarks made by Russian media about an ethnic community or another state are inappropriate, but they are a reaction to what was said by the other side, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"I don't think that such remarks were made by officials. I simply do not know anyone [official] who would. These, as you have just said, are some experts or quasi-experts. But as a rule, this sounds like a reaction to what they heard themselves from that side," Putin told the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations on Friday, responding to the criticism of Russian media outlets by Galina Romanova, who chairs the Congress of Poles in Russia.
"Of course, this is out of place," because it only escalates the situation and does not solve anything, he said.
He said that trying to influence on this would be quite difficult.
"We can only influence if those people are officials. But if it is coming simply from politicians (...), you see sometimes distasteful things can be said even in our parliament. For my part, I will try to rectify this as far as possible," Putin said.
Earlier Romanova said at the meeting: "It seems to me that our media, mainly on television, give too much time to ill-wishing, at times even offensive remarks about the ethnicities living in Russia and sometimes even about the states with which we, Poles, have ties."
Most such remarks were coming from ill-wishing, incompetent specialists who are prepared to speak out on any issue, she said.