MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has advised the opposition to address potential voters with a positive program, and not just endlessly play the blame game by nitpicking the current authorities.
"It is not enough to just blame the authorities in order to convince the electorate that those who do the blaming are exactly those people needed. It is necessary to provide a positive program," Putin told TASS in an interview for the project entitled "20 Questions with Vladimir Putin."
The Russian leader said criticism was necessary, but it was not enough to develop the country effectively.
Today’s means of communication has made it possible to let any point of view be known to the public, so it is utterly unnecessary to stage unauthorized demonstrations, Putin said.
"Get permission, go and express your opinion. After all, you see the Internet, the mass media, including the opposition media, they will come wherever you are, just anywhere you are, wherever you go, wherever you gather to express your discontent with the ruling authorities," he said. "Why block traffic? In order to incite security forces into swinging their nightsticks. And then you’d ask me about it. That is the point! And nothing more! To display what kind of heroes they are, and that they will protect the interests of citizens with the same zeal if they get into power and engage in governing."
In the summer of 2019, the Russian capital experienced several mass demonstrations protesting the Moscow City Duma election campaign. Some demonstrations were unauthorized. Those partaking in these illicit actions were taken into custody and prosecuted. Putin said that the demonstrators responsible for clashes with law enforcement personnel during such events must be properly punished.
Episode 4 of the video interview is available at https://putin.tass.ru/en.