Last week Vladimir Putin had a regular secret meeting, we would say the traditional one, with journalists of different degree of loyalty. It has been the third meeting during last two years. We won’t read about this meeting in the newspapers – and that was a very important public event - as well as about previous ones. TV won’t tell about it either because it had been arranged that the meeting would have a closed format.

The meeting was held at the presidential residence Bocharov Ruchei situated in the City of Sochi. Among notable figures present were chief editor of Russia Today channel Margarita Simonyan, head of NTV Vladimir Kulistikov, the chair of Russian Broadcasting Company Oleg Dobrodeev, also TV journalists Alexei Pivovarov and Nikolai Svanidze. About 40 people were present altogether. After the dinner everyone got one’s personal several minutes of talk with the President.

Nikolai Svanidze told to the Novaya Gazeta that the meeting wasn’t dedicated to a particular topic. The participants talked a little about different things. Svanidze didn’t give the details pleading to agreement about non-disclosure of circumstances of the event.

But still there was an episode discussion of which went beyond the Sochi’s lobby. Margarita Simonyan raised the question about fate of head of Educated Media Fund Manana Aslamazyan. It will be reminded that a criminal case was started against her at the beginning of this year on the fact of contraband. Investigation says that returning to Russia from Paris Manana didn’t declare in proper legal manner € 9,550 and 5,000 roubles. Criminal case was started and all Fund’s documentation was arrested after which the Fund declared temporary suspension of its activity. Aslamazyan is abroad at the moment.

Head of Glasnost Protection Fund and also the acting chair of Educated Media Fund Alexei Simonov believes that the President hadn’t expected to have that conversation. But being reminded the quick of the matter, Putin said “she may come back to Russia. Of course, no one can release her from administrative responsibility for this mistake. But mistake and crime shouldn’t be confused”.

Having learnt in more details about Fund’s work, Putin expressed his view that the Fund sponsored with foreign money cannot teach our journalists anything good. Nevertheless, presidential press secretary Alexei Gromov confirmed the guarantees made by Putin, asking to give advance notice about the date of arrival of the head of Educated Media Fund to Russia so that she wouldn’t be detained at the border. Later the President returned to this topic about Aslamazyan when talking privately to Nikolai Svanidze.

It sounded like a joke, but it sounded like “let her come back while I’m still President” Svanidze said.

It should be noted that the President doesn’t seem to be aware of law enforcement bodies’ plans regarding Manana Aslamazyan. Investigative committee of interior ministry - after Putin’s talks with the press - underlined that even no trial in absentia had been planned.

Written by Olga Bobrova
Vera Chelisheva