Ilya Ponomarev, Moscow declared internationally wanted, in an interview with HB in Kiev told how Russians pay for the Crimea and why the Kremlin's actions can lead to the disintegration of Russia
Ilya Ponomarev was the only Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation in March 2014 5th voted against joining of Crimea to Russia. After this event in his life began to unfold rapidly. In June, he had to leave for the United States, because in Russia the criminal case against him for embezzlement 22 million rubles, stripped of parliamentary immunity, announced on the international wanted list and announced their intention to seek his extradition to Russia.
Now He lives and works in America. Despite the fact that he is wanted, he was not deprived of his parliamentary mandate. His Deputy card he gave "trafficking" in the State Duma, and now her by proxy vote of his colleagues with similar views on life, "he said.
In an interview with HB Ponomarev explains why the Baltic States could be the next target of Putin, how much to pay every Russian from his own pocket to ensure that Crimea electricity, and why the key to ending the war in the Donbass region to look for in Ukraine.
-You now feel themselves some pressure from Moscow?
-I wanted, under arrest, I was looking for Interpol. Naturally, Russia doesn't want me to quietly lived and helped you. It's no wonder. Of course, to say that I've been short perebežkami-No. But I believe that you cannot avoid destiny.
-As you wanted, but still an active mp?
-The situation is paradoxical in nature. I member in exile, have the right to vote and to vote actively, but I can't come into the country. I am a member of Skype. The more people will see the absurdity of this situation, the sooner it will end.
-I.e. you hunt, but at the same time, allow us to express an opinion by voting in the Duma?
-Card-they can't take away from me. I had her there smuggling delivered. Card vote.
-You recently so one of three deputies voted against repeal of the priority of international law in Russia. But this rule is still accepted. It is an attempt by the Kremlin to escape punishment at the international level?
We have at one time, at the dawn of perestroika times, more specifically immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the adoption of the new Constitution, in the same way as you have now, were a variety of illusions toward the West. We wanted to be part of the West and so on. The rule was adopted that international agreements take precedence over legislation. I do not know of any country in the world, where would the constitutional level was given such a rule. This is, I would say, ungrammatical from a legal point of view.
About this rule very long remembered because signed an international agreement means it is running, everything is clear. Until Russia didn't start massively losing lawsuits in international courts. The last straw was the loss in the case of [совладелец Михаил Ходорковский]Yukos, when we lost $ 50 billion in international arbitration, which acknowledged. Then lost another $ 2 billion to the European Court of human rights. That is a total of $ 52 billion. Even for such a big country as Russia is the amount of unimaginable proportions. And we just lost completely.
And then "bright head" preoccupied by the fact that this is an outrage and should be curbed. But the retroactivity of legal acts have no. If these 52 billion already happened, from what we now adopt such a rule, it only works on the following 52 billion. These all. But such legislation was adopted. In my opinion, it's a shame, the attempt does not pay lost in court. And raises this full regret, because I voted against.
-Are there many in Russia remains in power, okolovlastnyh circles of people, are not afraid to express own position? How do they live?
-Think and in power, and not in the power circles of those 15%, which shows the sociology, reflect, how many of them actually. The problem is that the people in power are silent. They all think I'm doing a piece of work and I prefer blinders on the eyes to wear, not to see what is happening around. Like, here I am doing my work honestly.
I know that the Russian Government was horrified by the annexation of the Crimea because they realize how much it costs and what are the economic consequences. But even though someone raised his voice against? No. Business is the same. Vote with their feet. Since the beginning of the Crimean campaign half million people, is 1% of the population, have fled the country. Tremendous amount of. Naturally, left the most active, the most capable part.
Nobody wants to be rebellious. Everyone can see that Putin is a type of strong leader that all WINS and can insist on its West, and helpless, amorphous, a weakling. Vaughn and Ukraine cannot protect itself cannot protect.
-You argued with Alexei Navalny because truckers protest in Russia. Why?
The truckers ' protest is the largest protest rally in Russia since the year 2005, when the monetization of social benefits. These protests have highlighted the gravest disease which has Russian opposition: it is terribly far from the people. This caused me with Bulk swearing. While the party that deservedly criticized for what that agree with the Kremlin, COMMUNIST type, sent their people to these long-haul truckers begin working to politicize this process, our excessive opposition that uncompromising, nekremlevskaâ, real, limited itself to publishing on the Internet.
Russia for the first time since the formation of the NATO bloc has entered into direct confrontation, fire contacts with the country party to NATO that ended combat losses. And the loss of human life. I believe that Putin made this absolutely consciously
It was a proclamation to lorry drivers to download from the Internet leaflets about Rotenberga and its palaces, one of our oligarchs crook[Аркадий и Борис Ротенберги – российские миллиардеры, бизнесмены и друзья Владимира Путина]s. Here's that they downloaded from the Internet and print them. A number of dal′noboev in trucks worth of Internet downloads and printer to print these flyers? 0.0%!
Our excessive opposition to any impact on processes has not, while trying to support them through Facebook. There was only one man, an old friend of bulk, Sergey Gulyaev from Peter, who went and led a convoy of trucks traveling to Moscow. Of course, it's too tied, were arrested. And Alexei Navalny jealous me to my old friend, because he wrote nothing about him, and I posted that here, finally, correct dude did the right thing. Alexey branded me that I, allegedly, on the contrary it obgadil.
But this is a very important thing. I am disappointed that the media do not see these protests. Rather than see because our these liberal MEDIA more "putinistye" than Putin himself. They want more of these neo-liberal reforms.
Ukraine recently left without light. Whether Russia will be able to give the residents of the peninsula electricity?
Cable already pulled and pulled before when blasted EDLS. It was originally thought that it would survive until 20 December, but now promise a week earlier to hand over. In any case, before the end of the year, any additional source of electricity will be supplied.
Is economically beneficial?
-Well anyone out there about the economy. Crimea is the source of cost to Russia. It is clear that it is absolutely not necessary to do so.
-Whether Russia generally financially pull peninsula?
-Elongated stretches. Roughly speaking, the pockets of Russians still some amount of money haul. If the total expenses now, direct budgetary transfer to the Crimea, it is approximately 150 billion rubles per year. This means that every Russian, including baby pays Crimea thousand rubles. This is the only direct financial assistance. Plus paid public sector wages, provides social infrastructure, in which no federal subordination. Plus we have a recession, which began in large part because of the Crimea. Plus the military operation. If so, thousands of 5 with nose goes. Well even electricity for 500 rubles is added.
The Russians are willing to pay out of their pockets?
-So people do not understand. Don't understand causation. For them, it is abstraction. After all, in our countries, what have you, that we have, people do not pay taxes. That is, they are de facto pay, but no one pays them actually. No one fills a tax return-entrepreneurs, and this paltry interest. If people would pay taxes themselves, they would know exactly how much that is worth. And could bring the Bill.
Since the beginning of the Crimean campaign half million people, is 1% of the population, have fled the country. Tremendous amount of. Naturally, left the most active, the most effective part of
That's why our elite, your, our, strongly resisted the idea of a tax return. Here in America, for example, why the Government is responsible? Because everyone in the country must fill out a tax return. Employer not for him, and he himself. Even if he pays zero.
-I saw your page on facebook that you are helping to raise funds for the Ukrainian military and wounded in ATO. How do you help?
-Firstly, the point, which I support. There is my assistant in the zone of ATO, they as journalists, all of the take off. Document everything and gather support. I strongly promote and try to help them. They live, actually, on the basis of the precarious state.
In America, Russian and Ukrainian diaspora to work together. Going on a joint fundraiser. Basically, it's a medicine, care for the wounded-support of a humanitarian nature.
-What do you think, how events will unfold in Donbass? He needs Russia?
-Russia it was never needed. Any second. The aim of Russia was always Crimea. And Donbass was an occasion to bargain with the international community. Like, when you acknowledge the Crimea, we leave from the Donbass. Under the scenario of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. But it did not work, the situation hung. It is a suitcase without a handle, but throw it because it means reputational loss for Putin and his Camarilla. Therefore, all will continue
-But now it's all in a very difficult, limbo. How to proceed?
-Resolution of the problem here in Ukraine. Wait, when Russia refuses from him, no need to. You should solve for yourselves, whether you want them to return. If Yes, then you should go and deal with their reintegration. Not militarily, and economically.
-What implications might entail downed Turkey Su-24?
-Nothing good comes out of this will not. Russia's trade surplus with Turkey, because if the Turks themselves decide to go through, for example, abandon Russian energy as a symmetric sanctions, of course, we will lose much more than Turkey. We buy at $ 6 billion to Turkey, but they are imported at 18. Accordingly, we would lose $ 12 billion if they go through. While Putin as if this is not understood. On the contrary, he tries in every way to heat up the situation. I don't know why.
Every Russian, including baby pays Crimea thousand rubles
The most important consequence is the geopolitical and geostrategic. Russia for the first time since the formation of the NATO bloc has entered into direct confrontation, fire contacts with the country party to NATO that ended combat losses. And the loss of human life. I believe that Putin made this absolutely consciously to create precedent. Who should fear-perhaps, the Baltic States, which may well be on the queue.
Well, domestic politics. Everything that makes Putin, this is only for saving power, sustaining power, preserving the possibility of stealing.
-Many believe that current actions will lead to the disintegration of Russia, and 10-15 years from now it will not be on the world map.
-When people say that the country will fall apart, they, in fact, do not have in mind. It's like in the Soviet Union. Here's who else in 1991 year could imagine that the USSR collapsed as a country. Collapse is collapse comes. And people who say, think, too, that destruction comes.
Actually, I think it is the collapse of the probability of Russia. Because Putin has built inside the country absolutely colonial system in which Moscow-metropolis, suckling resources of the regions and all it is, is not accepted. If the Central Government weakens dramatically, that anything could happen, including a breakup of the country into several parts.
There are preconditions, such as ethnic. We have so many different people. People in Siberia and Central Russia and those and those Russians. Except for a few national conclaves. But the community is formed is easy on the eyes, these regional clusters. And that, of course, a consequence of wrong policy of Moscow concerning the regional development.
