Putin stays eternally grateful to Boris Yeltsin as his presidency ends

Russia’s outgoing and would-be presidents have recently participated in a ceremony to unveil a memorial to Russia’s first president, Boris Yeltsin. Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev came to Moscow’s Novodevichye Ñ emetery to pay homage to Boris Yeltsin who died a year ago. In his speech Russia’s outgoing president Vladimir Putin marked the place of his predecessor in the history of the country, and in fact he acknowledged the importance of Yeltsin’s epoch for the chosen way of development. According to Putin, Russia is still following that way.

	Putin stays eternally grateful to Boris Yeltsin as his presidency ends
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It was essential for Putin to show the succession of the political course because the succession of power is a key issue in modern-day Russian politics. But there is another reason for that. Traditionally, in Russia rulers in office debunk their predecessors to improve the current political situation. Vladimir Putin does not want this to happen to him and his epoch, even if there will be no need for that.

“Today we live in an open and independent country that is developing in conformity with the spirit and the letter of the Constitution. The presidential power will always guarantee the basic law, citizens’ rights and will further serve Russians and defend sovereign interests of the country,” Vladimir Putin said emphasizing the importance of the presidential institute.

“We know that President Yeltsin always parried blows with dignity, took overall responsibility for the situation in the country and showed that it was important to follow the strategic course bravely and decisively, and at the same time to remain open and receptive to everything new and useful for the country. In this sense Boris Yeltsin set an example for us. Such a firm and principled position of the country’s president will be the base for further progress, as well as for Russia’s present and future successes.”

Vladimir Putin spoke about Yeltsin’s crucial role when he attended the funeral of Russia’s first president a year ago. But now, before Putin’s resignation these remarks sounded different. They contained an attitude of one ruler who is making history to another ruler who influenced this history. “Boris Yeltsin has traveled the difficult path of a politician and a citizen and he found himself in a situation of a complicated and principled decision. But it was as unique as the history of our country,” said Putin. “Our country underwent unprecedented transformations and severe hardships, but it stood up for its statehood and its right for the free and independent development.” According to the president, “nobody and nothing could ever prevent people’s major aspiration, the aspiration for independence.”

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