Before driving off to the track, Russian President Vladimir Putin (R, driving) seated Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref (L) next to him. Apparently, Gref regretted it.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Vladimir Putin Loosens Brake
// When he supported Russia’s car industry
On Saturday after the EU-Russia summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived to AvtoVAZ car factory and hotheadedly track-tested one of the newly produced cars. Kommersant’s special correspondent Andrei Kolesnikov became convinced that it is undesirable to drive after nerve-racking press conferences.
President Putin arrived to the car factory by helicopter (he will come to a helicopter factory by car, for sure). The factory’s management, full of hopes, gathered in the showroom (certainly, their expectations were too high: about $1.5 billion, it seemed to me). I also noticed Rusal co-owner Oleg Deripaska there. Some journalists, who have nothing to lose except their incompetence, thought right away: if Deripaska is here, he is buying AvtoVAZ. Deripaska completely ignored this question, while a CEO of the factory walking behind the tycoon cried out hysterically:
“No! No!!!”
Apparently, that man knew perfectly well how journalistic sensations appear and how they affect the public conscience and the quotations of his factory’s shares.
However, Deripaska’s role that day was more sophisticated and even Jesuitical. It became clear when I saw the table with name cards bearing names of CEOs of AvtoVAZ and of Canadian company Magna. Deripaska’s Russkie Mashiny has recently acquired a shareholding in Magna. Magna was to sign a joint venture agreement with AvtoVAZ on Saturday. Thus, Deripaska came to the factory in a somewhat showy way, and was now going about it waiting for the president.
Vladimir Putin seemed not over the stormy press conference after the EU-Russia summit yet. He dropped a cursory glance at the exhibition of the factory’s current and future cars, asked the minimal number of questions, and eagerly, but inattentively, examined the cars shown to him. I could not even admit that he might dislike them. It could not happen at all. The president came here with a 100-percent protective purpose, so that AvtoVAZ cars appeal to him in all senses. Putin had to support the domestic producer. After all, it was not so hard. Half an hour of shame, and the rest of the day – free.
While the president was moving from car to car, those who followed him were exchanging impressions. Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref, slowly moving after Putin next to Rosoboronexport head Chemezov, expressed very careful doubt that AvtoVAZ cars might be competitive at the international market. He was also sure the situation will soon change drastically to the world market’s advantage.
“Oh, the cars are alright,” replied Chemezov. “I tried them myself!”
The last remark was a strong argument in favor of Chemezov, for Gref was definitely unable to boast he had an experience like that.
Meanwhile, Putin unexpectedly opened the driver’s door of one of the cars, and I thought the day will not pass without fast driving. I also thought that Putin should better not drive in that nervous state of his. Meanwhile, the president looked inside the car, and moved on, opening the door of the next car as well. Apparently, he was interested in design, which he had not seen before either.
AvtoVAZ Group president Artyakov gave a lengthy speech about the future of Russia’s car industry. In other words, he was asking the president for money.
Then Artyakov and Magna chairman Frank Stronak signed a cooperation agreement. Putin was standing nearby, as if blessing the contract. Apparently, Putin’s participation was a good bonus for AvtoVAZ management. When the president moved towards the exit, Stronak gestured asking him to stay, and delivered a speech praising everyone whoever was around, including the factory’s CEOs, Oleg Deripaska, himself, God, and Vladimir Putin.
After that, Stronak looked at the Russian president with polite expectation. So, Putin had to say a few words in response. It was Stronak’s own fault that those words were pathologically standard.
It turned out later, the president’s visit was far from being over. What is more, it was just beginning. Putin decided to see the assembly line. He entered the end products department. Cars were moving slowly on the assembly line. Workers of the factory stood on one side of the line, and the president – on the other. Putin got tired of looking at the monotonous line of cars, and walked over to workers (women) who dreamed of taking a picture of him and of saying something to the president.
I was surprised when I heard what they were really talking about. The women were most concerned over what will happen to them due to Magna’s joining the factory. Putin summoned the head of Magna, so that the latter answers the questions.
Stronak came up to tell the women about the exciting future that awaits them due to the coming of his company to their factory. He spoke about new types of cars, adding they will be sold not only in Russia, but abroad as well. The women were even more confused by that statement.
Leaving them in perplexity, Putin approached the ready cars, sitting into one of them. Reporters did not expect that at all. Putin did not fasten his seat belt, revved up and drove outside. The journalists hurried to scatter to make way, closely escaping the president’s car. The thought crossed my mind again: it is undesirable to drive after complicated summits and nerve-racking press conferences.
Putin disappeared, driving away to the factory’s track. News agencies later reported there were Gref, Chemezov, and Artyakov with him in the car. But it is not so: I saw that Artyakov tried to join Putin, but the president took with him Gref instead. Gref seemed to have accepted the invitation without any enthusiasm.
The president returned from the track about seven minutes later. He drove very fast, and probably wanted to stop suddenly by the journalists, just like he did it in Krasnaya Polyana, when he skied down a mountain, stopping by the reporters, covering them with a cloud of snowy dust. However, the dust was far from snowy here. Anyway, he stopped by his Pullman with the national flag on it, simply digging the Kalina car into ground. At least, the car has good brakes.
Putin got out of the car, saying it is quite alright, adding:
“What can we demand? It costs less than $10,000. It is quite good for those purposes for which it was produced.”
I asked:
“What was your maximal speed?”
“There?” the president waved towards the track. “120 kilometers per hour.”
Apparently, he meant he usually drives much faster.
By the way, the neutral speed for the upper tract of AvtoVAZ track’s curve is 180 kilometers per hour. Driving slower is dangerous.
Which means President Putin managed to take a risk.
Andrei Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of May 21, 2007
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