''Ksenia Sobchak’s slogan ‘against all’ sounds like a teenager’s protest''

Reaction of Ksenia Sobchak’s potential entrant about the upcoming presidential elections about the TV presenter’s sudden nomination

Last week, former presenter of Dom-2 reality show, editor-in-chief of LʼOfficiel Russia magazine Ksenia Sobchak announced her intention to declare her candidacy in the presidential elections in 2018. The range of reactions to this news is very diverse: people are glad, angry, disappointed or they just compete who it witter by drawing memes about Sobchak. Realnoe Vremya decided to find out the reaction of the journalist's potential rival – first Vice-President of Mortadel agricultural complex in Moscow Oblast Elvira Agurbash who also intends to declare her candidacy in the future elections.

''It will maybe enable her to increase the money for making programmes, weddings and other events''

Mrs Agurbash, what was your reaction to the news of Ksenia Sobchak's nomination?

Tell me what does Ksenia know about problems of our citizens – pensioners, the young, ordinary families who can't afford the level of life she has always had? Are there people among her friends and acquaintances who survive with a salary of 7-20,000 rubles a month?



This slogan sounds like a protest of a teenager who doesn't know herself what she wants. In general, the idea 'for all' is closer to me because I am for creation, union and real solution of problems

She was born in a better-off family, she was a representative of the gilded youth, worked in such a programme as Dom-2 as presenter. As far as I am concerned, she was the author of the idea of imposition of a tourist tax in Monaco, so that the poor wouldn't impede the rich from having a rest. She also told the media that only 1% of the citizens in Russia refers to educated population, and others are adequately represented on TV only by Dom-2. First of all, she needs to learn to respect her people and love the country whose citizen she is.

I saw her in programmes, I looked at her as a journalist, as a presenter. I don't dislike her, the thing is that I personally consider her socially immature person.

What do you think of the format she chose – 'a candidate 'against all'?

This slogan sounds like a teenager's protest who doesn't know herself what she wants. In general, the idea 'for all' is closer to me because I am for creation, union and real solution of problems. People declare their candidacies to elections to solve and change something. What is Ksenia going to do?

Do you think she is a serious rival?

How can she consider her co-citizens simple people to launch such speculation when it is offered to tick 'against all' next to her surname, not in a special box, thus voting for her, a certain person? I think it happens because she has nothing else to offer the voters. She just wants to use the situation that our country has many people who are disappointed at elections and discontent with the absence of the box 'against all'. Whom does she consider us to do it? Please, vote for returning this box but don't identify it with you.

And I will note that the media have very actively joined this topic. And it will maybe enable her to increase the money for making programmes, weddings and other events. It is good PR.

''We don't know what exactly they talked about. She could tell she was going to declare her candidacy. As for who is behind her, I don't exclude that it is just PR or a move of the presidential administration.'' Photo: kremlin.ru

And what do you think of the fact that some people see the Kremlin's interference in what is happening and suppose that the presidential administration just wanted to draw attention to the elections and asked Ksenia to perform a sparring partner like Mikhail Prokhorov?

The only thing I paid attention to is that, first of all, the news that Ksenia Sobchak had met with the president of Russia appeared before she announced her nomination, like she conducted an interview for a film she makes about her dad. Information about her declaration appeared on the next day already. We don't know what exactly they talked about. She could tell she was going to declare her candidacy. As for who is behind her, I don't exclude that it is just PR or a move of the presidential administration. But we can't know for sure, we can only guess.

''I haven't changed my mind to declare my candidacy''

Mrs Agurbash, have not you changed your mind to declare your candidacy?

No, I haven't. We work within the regulation: registration, official procedures. Everything will start after the race is declared.

Could you update the information about your nomination? Is the programme already ready? Maybe you've added something. Has the initiative group been created?

The programme is ready, the initiative group has been created. It is clear that a group is registered after the pre-election race is announced. But we already have people who wait for the green light.

Speaking of the programme, in brief, great attention is paid to kids, the young and pensioners. I also promise to reduce food prices – I know how to do it by avoiding any clashes. It is offered to grant an amnesty when loans of less than 100,000 rubles are returned by physical persons because our citizens became victims of the economic situation in the country: people have to take out loans for the most necessary things, including clothes for kids, to pay electricity and gas.

''Speaking of the programme, in brief, great attention is paid to kids, the young and pensioners. I also promise to reduce food prices – I know how to do it by avoiding any clashes.'' Photo: Maksim Platonov

I also support the return of all benefits to pensioners, disabled people, large families. There will be a strict control of prices for medicines, especially for oncology patients. In general, I would seriously care for our nation's health. In addition, while starting a service in state bodies, functionaries will swear an oath. State workers would have their benefits back, but I would tighten requirements for them. There will be a life sentence for everyone who dives into the treasury (it will sound severe, but it is my vision). Ten people will be sentenced, and others won't steal any more. What is more, 80% of the money that companies make from our natural resources must go to the treasury…

By Lina Sarimova