Russian media: independent sociologists excluded from the elections? – BBC Russian

In a review of the Russian media:

• “Levada-Center” recognized “foreign agent “

• Top-managers” Renova “was accused of bribery

• Putin is preparing a successor?

• A living wage is underestimated especially

“Kommersant”: “and” Levada “felt”

The central media comment on the inclusion of “Levada-Center” in the register of NGOs, foreign agents. Such a verdict is rendered the Justice Department as a result of an unscheduled inspection documentary. The newspaper “Kommersant” writes that the reason for the test was an appeal to the Ministry of Justice leader of the movement “Antimaydan” Dmitry Sablin senator from the “United Russia”, which stated that the organization “is funded by the Pentagon”.

Director “by the Levada Center “Lev Gudkov, said that a mistake was made during the inspection.

“We get finance from abroad, but it is – commercial orders, rather than grants, related to the activities that the Ministry of Justice to consider the political,” – says Lev Gudkov. It is a market research regarding “hygiene items, consumer goods,” he explains. These studies “Levada Center” earn money, including in order to then carry out proactive polls – on their own, and not by the order, including political themes

If the Ministry of Justice decision not succeed. challenge, the “Levada-Center” will likely curtail their activities, because with this “label” will not be able to hold political or electoral polls, and anti-corruption investigations are simply banned, said Lev Gudkov.

Co-Chair movement “Voice” Grigory Melkonyants notes that according to the law, NGOs, foreign agents shall have no right in any way to participate in election campaigns. He considers the decision of the Justice Ministry “as the pressure on independent sociological service in the midst of the election”: “Want to study turned on elections and did not publish the results of a falling rating of one of the parties.”

“Vedomosti” and RBC: the prosecution of the oligarchs

One of the central themes of almost all Russian print and electronic media – the prosecution of top managers the power company “T Plus” of the group “Renova” Viktor Vekselberg in bribes. According to the newspaper “Vedomosti”, the Investigative Committee is investigating the criminal case against the current CEO “T plus” Vainzikher Boris and his two predecessors – the chairman of the board of directors the power company, the managing director of the group of companies “Renova” Eugene Olkhovik and general director of “VimpelCom” Michael Slobodina.

TFR suspects that in 2007-2014 years. three top managers Komi passed bribes to officials, headed by former Governor Vyacheslav Gaizer in exchange for favorable tariffs for electricity and heat, and other benefits and preferences. At the same time a co-owner of “Renova” Viktor Vekselberg, the investigation has no complaints, notes “Vedomosti”.

The newspaper cites the opinion of the general director of Siberian Generating Company Mikhail Kuznetsov, who explains that the additional benefit – 120 million rubles, which could get a “T Plus”, a much lower amount of bribes incriminated for it – 800 million.

“Vedomosti” wrote that in August, Acting chapter of Komi Sergey Gaplikov complained of “T plus” Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with the critical situation with the heat. And, according to political analyst Alexei Makarkin, today’s hearing is due precisely to this complaint. “The Interim Head of the republic wants to show its effectiveness, unlike the previous leadership, and the charge oligarch – the best way to express themselves,” – said Makarkin.

A newspaper RBC brings another view Alexei Makarkin. He believes that the arrests of Power in the “T Plus” are not aimed directly against the owner of the company Viktor Vekselberg, the case of a regional nature.

“Vekselberg sufficiently loyal to the federal authorities, however, are in the Komi elections, arresting people oligarch gives people a sign that the government is working and fighting corruption.”, – The expert points out.

Also, RBC added that the CEO of the company “VimpelCom” Mikhail Slobodin, who became involved in the case of bribes to former officials of Komi, quit

“Kommersant”.: not necessarily in 2018.

The newspaper “Kommersant” comments lead to the interview of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the agency Bloomberg: Putin said that over his candidature in the elections in 2018 and a rating of “United Russia”.

“I presume that the future leader must be quite a young man, but mature,” – said Putin. His words about the presidency, rather, “testing the ratio of hopes and fatigue, which are around Vladimir Putin,” the head of the fund “Petersburg Politics” Mikhail Vinogradov. “Talk about a successor necessarily concerns in 2018″, – said the head of the Civil Society Development Foundation Konstantin Kostin

As for the ratings drop “United Russia”, Putin said that opponents “stigmatized the ruling party,” but “. It does not say how to do better “,” do not say whether they are ready to assume responsibility for taking some not very popular, but right in the end [decisions]. ”

However, the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party Sergei Obukhov said that United Russia criticized, because from the beginning it was said that their party “bears of all the responsibility, and its representatives have at all levels of government”.

“NG”, “Neprozhitochny least”

The composition of the minimum set of products on the basis of which in Russia are counting the cost of living, contrary to Ministry of Health guidelines

“shopping cart for the poor”, “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”, Russian officials filled with bread and potatoes at the expense of vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Such manipulation is done in order to save the budget, does not rule out the newspaper.

“NG” says that the daily diet of one person in the world average weighs about 1860 grams. 9% consists of meat, 22% of grains, 39% of fruits and vegetables, 15% of dairy products and eggs, 15% of sugar, fat, alcohol, and beans. Against this background, the newspaper notes, the Russians significantly malnourished and vegetables, and fruit: as of 2014 the Russians in the daily diet of vegetables and fruits accounted for only 21,5%

The respondents “NG”, experts believe. that the cost of living in the country is underestimated not accidentally. “It helps to show good statistics on poverty, as well as to keep low public sector wages and various social payments, because technically people receive not less than the subsistence minimum”, – explains the analyst company “Alor Broker” Cyril Yakovenko

. “A living wage is not indexed in a timely manner and at the prices in the shops, the data are taken correctly and averaged – continues the analyst” Solid Management “Sergei Zvenigorod -. Initially, the cost of living was necessary not only for payments, but also to reassure the population in 90 years – say, still live can now also focus on the modest cost of living is more like manipulation than real indicator of quality of life “

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h2 class =>. ” p> Report browser “Kommersant” Andrei Kolesnikov, a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China.

“Nezavisimaya Gazeta” sums up the results of the G20 summit in China. Hangzhou reached the economic trade-offs, but not political, says, “NG”.

Review prepared by Oleg Savin, monitoring service Bi-bi-si