LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky in an interview to a blogger Yuri Dude admitted that he considers himself the second most important and influential person in Russia. Video of the interview published on Tuesday, August 29, on the YouTube channel Dude.
“I am now on the second place after Putin in importance, influence, popularity, trust, — said Zhirinovsky, adding that meant the whole country. And on March 18, I’ll take second place in presidential elections. At least! And under certain circumstances can win”.
If Putin will again go to the polls and wins, the leader of LDPR intends to ask the head of state appointment to the post of Prime Minister.
The politician also told about his first meeting with Putin, which took place in 1996 in the office of Pavel Borodin, who headed the Office of the President. According to Zhirinovsky, if he realized that before him is the future head of state, “I started to talk, something told”.
The leader of LDPR also has informed that was glad to hear that Boris Yeltsin, who was then the presidency, was appointed as his successor is Putin — “a man who knew the country.”
The most memorable Zhirinovsky called last conversation with the President. He announced Putin’s two versions of the text of the oath at the introduction into citizenship of the Russian Federation: – trained in the liberal democratic party and developed by state Duma. “I say, gosdumovskoj text similar to the statement when taken at the farm. And he laughed, he loved that, such a comparison” — said Zhirinovsky.
On 12 July the state Duma has approved the introduction of an oath for foreigners who have decided to join the Russian citizenship. The final text was approved by the Duma Committee on state construction and legislation.
The Russian presidential election will be held in 2018. Vladimir Zhirinovsky has decided to stand as a candidate. The current President promised to think about participation in the elections.
Putin, who served as Director of the FSB, was appointed as the first acting Chairman of the government on 9 August 1999. On the same day in a televised address, President Yeltsin named him as his successor.