Andrei Kolesnikov about Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Sergei Sobyanin in the Kremlin

On March 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin in the Kremlin, and they found out who is friend and enemy and what to do with them. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov However, he believes that this great city will accept everyone.

Without a doubt, two comrades met.

— How are you, Sergei Semenovich? — Vladimir Putin was in a good mood.

They say that there is such an interesting type of person who, when asked “How are you?” doesn’t answer “Good!”, but begins to really tell how he’s doing.

Meanwhile, this was such a rare case.

“I must report to you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, despite the machinations of enemies, all kinds of sanctions…” began Sergei Sobyanin.

Vladimir Putin became extremely interested and interrupted his colleague:

“We have more friends,” he warned.

“I don’t know about others, but everything is going very well for us…” Sergei Sobyanin tried to continue.

But the phrase about the machinations of enemies continued to excite the imagination of Vladimir Putin:

– There is another famous expression: it is equally honorable to be our friend and enemy!

He wanted to talk about it.

And I wanted to add that with some friends you don’t even need enemies.

But this was not that rare case.

It could also be done differently: with some enemies you don’t even need friends.

Oh, that might be closer to the truth.

– God bless them! – Sergei Sobyanin chose to react.

And he said that “the results of 2023 in Moscow, I think, are one of the best in modern history.”

It didn’t matter anymore whether it was thanks to friends or enemies. Most likely, thanks to Sergei Sobyanin himself.

“Good growth in all indicators, in production indicators that are important to us, such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, microelectronics, growth from 25% to 40%,” continued the mayor of Moscow. “Investment in real estate, commercial real estate, and housing continues to grow.” construction. We continue the renovation program… The projects that we opened – the Big Circle Metro Line, the high-speed diameter – are working very well! Today, we transport 1.3 million people a day on the BKL.

No, Sergei Sobyanin did not hide his enthusiasm. There was no such goal.

— In terms of speed diameter — 400 thousand cars daily! — he said. “Even if you look at the economic return, then, for example, the federal budget and extra-budgetary funds have already received more than a trillion rubles of economic effect, budgetary effect, at the expense of the Greater Lithuania!

The numbers were loud even for Moscow.

— Since the start of work? – Mr. Putin didn’t believe it.

And rightly so:

“No, from the moment construction begins: when the construction itself is underway, the budget already receives from VAT and taxes, and we introduced them in parts over the course of several years…” explained Sergei Sobyanin. “So the benefits are direct!”

Yes, a trillion rubles, frankly speaking, could not be obtained from the moment the BCL began operating.

But Vladimir Putin, apparently, could have expected this from Sergei Sobyanin.

— The city budget is developing! – exclaimed the mayor of Moscow. – Investments, if you look at what happens to them… of course, in different years in different ways… but if we take larger periods, three years for example, from 2009 to 2011, then our volume of investments grew from 2 trillion to 17 trillion, even at comparable prices this is 3.7 times: this includes housing, buildings, machinery, purchased equipment, and intellectual property!

And most importantly, this is all true. Yuri Luzhkov’s Moscow, of course, never dreamed of such an attitude towards itself: the unimaginable taxes that the city receives go towards its development. Some kind of absurdity.

It has gotten to the point where you feel pleasure from the thought that you will now go out onto the street of this city and walk along it. And she won’t let you down. This has never happened before, and here it is again.

“The city is demonstrating very high dynamics thanks to your support, the government,” Sergei Sobyanin could not help but imprint this phrase on the banner of this meeting, “and, of course, thanks to Muscovites who are actively working and do not lose optimism.

The last remark was not required at all. It turned out that there was something to lose. Is there really?

But Mr. Putin also confirmed that there is:

“We understand that the threats they are trying to create are not empty, and we must keep this in mind…

In fact, it doesn’t seem that way anymore.

This, apparently, is the main danger.