As the Russian presidential campaign begins this Saturday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov confirmed that Vladimir Putin will not participate in the debates due to lack of time.
“The Russian president is totally different from the other candidates due to a very busy schedule,”
he declared on Tuesday.
This decision, which may seem surprising, is not exceptional for Vladimir Putin who had expressed the same wish during the previous presidential elections of 2016 and 2012.
Commenting on Putin's decision not to participate in campaign debates, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the president appears enough in the media.
“It already responds to all aspects of the country’s life,”
he believes.
“Everyone can see Putin's statements on all aspects of Russian life almost daily,”
he recalled.
“It’s the right of candidates”
Natalia Budarina, Secretary General of the Central Election Commission (CEC), previously announced the decision of the president's campaign team.
“I inform you that the CEC has received a document confirming the refusal of the candidate for the presidency of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to participate in joint campaign events on federal channels,”
she declared.
“It’s the right of candidates
,” she added to defend the choice of the Russian president.
The presidential debates will therefore take place between the three other candidates, Leonid Sloutsky (leader of the Liberal Democratic Party), Nikolai Kharitonov (Communist Party) and the vice-president of the Duma Vladislav Davankov (New People).
They were informed this Thursday of the dates of their appearances in the television and radio media.
From Monday February 19, candidates will be able to speak on five federal television channels and three radio stations.
The electoral campaign begins this Saturday, February 17 and will last until the start of the elections, March 15, 2024.