I read RBC's piece about the tour of Volodin's dacha with interest. This is the Kremlin crowd's very own version of “new sincerity.” Let's show people our palaces up close, they'll be moved by the sight of a pumpkin, and they'll forgive us everything.
He flew by helicopter from the dacha to a forum, and while he was at it, showed journalists a trout pond, an Alabai dog (a Central Asian shepherd breed), and deputy Neverov walking through the gate.
I'm a civil servant, I rent a helicopter, I eat catfish beneath the family tree chart (headed, naturally, by Prince Vladimir).
All of this is, of course, very charming, but it must not distract us for a second from the main questions: what were the sources of income used to build and maintain these palaces? Volodin's house alone is worth 150 million rubles.
And with regard to these particular dachas, there is another straightforward question: why was some of the land for these officials bought by businessman Shustenko, who profits from government contracts?
Just don't start telling us again about “Volodin the businessman” and his income from selling shares in 2009. In the subject's biography, there is no trace of any business activity, and no documentary evidence of any business can be found either. Out of thin air appear shares that can be sold for 350 million rubles. And this is in Saratov Region, where every dog would know about a business like that—but no one does. This whole “income from the sale of shares” is nothing more than a legalized bribe.
And I won't even get started on old man Neverov with his ridiculous story about a mother-in-law from Novokuznetsk who supposedly saved up enough money for a palace on the Istra River.
In short, don't try to distract us with pumpkins and guided tours (we've seen this before); tell us about your illicit enrichment.
People