*CPRF – Communist Party of the Russian Federation
In 18 of December at Central House of the Journalist was held a press conference deputy of the CPRF, Evgeny Stupin. By 2019 he had been occupy the post in confrontation both with representatives of the ruling party RF, and with other opposition structures. In interview media The Kremlin, Evgeny Viktorovich uncovered hidden aspects of his actions, also he told about consequences of his last statements in last three years.
What brought you to parliamentary activity?
— Honestly, I have never ever planned. It wasn’t even in my mind. But my life led me to move to Moscow. I bought a flat in Nekrasovka District and faced the serious ecological problems in new region. Step by step we started their elimination, as far as possible. Get together with the locals, accommodate rallies, meet the officials — there wasn’t any result. In one moment it became clear: we need to stop unsuccessfully asking deputy of United Russia, we need to become decision makers.
In 2019 my candidacy was put forward for election to deputies. I won. But, in the start we wanted make air clearer.
Share, how criticisms about politics of Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin affected on your career?
– So to speak: last statements didn’t render on me so much. All the main negative on me was released back in 2019. As soon as the first critical remarks went up, any negative that could only be found and invented rose to the top.
Here is an example: the first commission in which I took part. I come to the meeting and hear the speech of the Minister of Transport. He says: “Metro is an ideal and comfortable mode of transport”. And I just came from Vykhino. They just almost strangled me there – 8 in the morning, after all! “Muscovites prefer the metro, it is very сomfortable”, – he continued. But he himself obviously does not ride the subway. Then there were many statements. And they poured enough dirt on me – moreover, absolutely fictional. The imagine, imagine, but nothing goes alright: There is no any evidence.
It is known that no money is paid for deputy activity. However, tell me: have you, as a lawyer, encountered cases of corruption schemes? Were these cases connected with representatives from the parties of the State Duma?
– As a lawyer, I didn’t work with corruption, but in positions of the deputy of the Moscow City Duma precedents were.
The activity of the deputy itself is not paid. But some are appointed to the positions of heads of commissions. Here their salary starts from 500 thousand rubles a month. However, meetings of some commissions are held no more than once every six months. This gives rise to a situation of absolute inequality, which is why I personally have to earn money from advocacy.
Corruption capacious moments, of course, there are. When I have just got elected, there was two approaches, they were similar: “You don’t even got paid! Your housing issue is unresolved. Your wife does not have a normal job. But everything is solved”
To whom did these statements belong?
– As it turned out later, the messenger of one important person whom I once respected. I did not know where he came from, but I was aware that the above-named person recommended to meet with me. I was hoping for a proposal for a new significant bill, which, alas, did not happen. Instead, they wanted my “loyalty”.
Based on your judgments and actions, we can conclude that you represent the systemic opposition. So, in your opinion, it is better: to stay outside the system, but freely promote your own ideas or choose the side of the systemic opposition, but be subjected to “persecutions”?
– A year ago this issue was relevant, today it is not. Today it is impossible to speak freely. For example, a special military operation: if I spoke freely about it, I would have been arrested long ago. I want to live and work here, I don’t plan to leave Russia. That is why sometimes I have to restrain myself in order to continue helping people.
What, in your opinion, is the national idea of modern Russia?
– I believe that today the national idea should be a decent peaceful life for everyone without exception. This is what we are all striving for right now.
There is a discourse about a special way for Russia. Undoubtedly, every nation has its own identity. But in general, we are Europeans both in appearance and geography. And I see no reason to live worse than Europeans. We can live much better.
Why do we now see superprofits in the amount of a trillion rubles in Gazprom, and gas cylinders explode in Nizhnevartovsk, where 43% of Russian gas is produced? And they explode in the hands of people – and they die. How can this be? Where is the money going? But why don’t we see such scandals in Sweden? Because the funds go to the benefit of the people. It is impossible to walk on freshly laid tiles here, people get stuck in the snow with their feet (and this is in the very heart of the capital), while in Scandinavia the asphalt is heated. And so it was with us. I believe that it will continue to be.
