Politicians should have positive agenda, offer solutions - Putin
MOSCOW. June 5 (Interfax) - Russia needs politicians with a positive agenda, and voters do not react to those who cannot offer concrete solutions to existing problems, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Here in Russia, we need people with a positive agenda who understand our problems deeply rather than just recite them, and we have plenty of problems, just like Austria or any other country," Putin said in an interview with the Austrian TV channel ORF ahead of his visit to Austria. He was expressing his attitude to opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
"It is easy to pick a problem and start spinning it and position yourself as the one with the solution," he said.
"But without a positive starting point and ideas about how to solve problems or deal with an issue, people will not respond," Putin said.
"Believe me, Russian voters are plenty sophisticated. They do not just pay attention to attractive slogans. They want to see the solutions you are proposing. And if no solution is proposed, the candidate will not get noticed," he said.
"How many do you think voted for yours truly in Moscow in the recent election? Not for Moscow mayor but for president? How many do you think? Look into it," Putin said after the Austrian host mentioned that Navalny won 27% of the vote in the last mayoral elections in Moscow.
After the host replied that it was more than 27%, Putin said, "Yes, way more, for which I am very grateful to Muscovites. Because Moscow voters are very sophisticated."