MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. The Kremlin sees a lot of worthy candidates for the presidential elections in Russia in 2018, but sees no competitors to the incumbent Vladimir Putin. This was stated press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov in interview to TV channel “Russia 24” on the eve of the annual press conference of the President.
“We see a lot of decent people, but we don’t see competitors. Still, from my point of view, are not yet Mature enough competitor to Putin, not even close,” said the spokesman.
Answering the question of who may head the campaign headquarters of the incumbent President, Peskov noted that “while Putin has not yet become a candidate, and as a future candidate, he had not yet communicated its decision.” “So far we do not possess such information” – he added.
The press Secretary said that Putin has never participated in debates of candidates during the election campaign, as is the current head of state. “In his case, his candidacy proceeds according to other laws, although the same as for other candidates, but the imprint of the current presidency really change the situation”, – said the representative of the Kremlin.
Sands also expressed the hope that akkreditovyvalisj at a press conference Putin journalist Ksenia Sobchak, who also intends to nominate his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections, will use this event as a kind of debate. “The press conference still takes place, not in order to debate, and it would be a deep disrespect for the journalists to hold so much attention on yourself. So I hope that still Sobchak will behave as a journalist, as the way it was accredited,” concluded Sands.
The press Secretary did not answer whether he will stay to work at his post after the presidential elections in 2018. “I do not accept personnel decisions the President makes personnel decisions. First, I should probably be fired, when will be the new President. After that, will be appointed the new press Secretary. Well, there’s all the will of the next President,” he said.
Putin on 14 December last for his third time working in this high post will gather journalists at the traditional big press conference. To it accredited a record number of journalists – 1640. In 2016 3 hours and 50 minutes to ask questions to Putin were able 48 correspondents.
