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Putin – most authoritative politician in Russia - Medvedev

Dmitry Medvedev believes that Vladimir Putin is the most authoritative politician in Russia

MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian President Dmitry Medvedev believes that Vladimir Putin is the most authoritative politician in Russia and he does not intend “to elbow” or engage in rivalry with the prime minister in the election campaign for the top Russian public post, Medvedev said in an interview with the Russian television channels Channel One, Rossiya and NTV, which will be broadcast at 8.30 p.m. Moscow time on Friday.

“Certainly I am glad to realize that the incumbent president enjoys a quite high level of trust, he has a quite high election rating in the current situation, but, on the other hand, I note that Prime Minister Putin is definitely the most authoritative politician in our country now, his rating is higher,” Medvedev said in reply to a journalist’s question about the reasons why the incumbent prime minister will run for presidency. “In fact, this is practical, but very important issues, which any politician should take into account, if the latter wants to bring some benefit to his country, rather than elbowing,” he believes.

Medvedev named as his “major ambition” the striving to be useful for the country. “Probably, this sound a little bit pompously, but it is true, and if you lack any ambition, it is better not to engage in politics, but to focus on some other types of activities, rather than political activities or state administration,” he said with confidence.

The president reiterated that he and Vladimir Putin belong to the same political force. “Belonging to the same political force and having very close convictions, meanwhile, certainly, we are different personalities and probably have our personal habits, however, we have very close positions on most strategic issues, actually on all strategic issues in the development of the country, the same is about tactical issues. So, having such positions, should we compete?” he asked the rhetorical question. “Should we have quarrels or arguments? But, this is not the way to act in any country. People, who represent the same political force, choose in what way and who should run for something (some post – Itar-Tass),” Medvedev noted.

He cited the United States as an example, where Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were running for president. “One cannot imagine this (so that they would compete with each other)!” he believes. “Both of them are members of the US Democratic Party and they have taken the decision for the reasons who can achieve the best result. So, we have taken such a decision,” Medvedev added.

Meanwhile, the president noted that several observers “expect this in particular so that we would be at loggerheads and engage in an active rivalry on the political scene.” “So, I would like to say, this will not be so,” he stated. “We would like to achieve the political result, win at the elections – at the parliamentary elections in December and at the presidential elections in March, rather than satisfy our ambitions. The ambitions of any responsible person are to serve to his country and I insist on this,” Medvedev underlined.