The Media Mirror: what's in today's Russian newspapers?

Today’s Russian newspapers finally provide an answer to the question: who is Mr Medvedev? They also discuss who will take the upper hand in Serbia, the Democrats or the Radicals? And the press quotes Viktor Bout’s lawyer who says the media created ‘the Me

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA writes the question “Who is Mr Medvedev?” has found an answer. President Vladimir Putin called the President-elect “a Russian nationalist in the good sense of the word”. The President also said that Medvedev will be free from the necessity to prove his liberal views and will be actively pursuing Russia’s national interest in the international arena.

VREMYA NOVOSTEY says that during Angela Merkel’s visit the topic of Russia’s two centres of power moved from the sphere of political science into the sphere of practical politics. Frau Merkel, writes the paper, not only had to meet separately with two Russian leaders but had to explain to the media how she was going to build her further relations with them.

The same paper writes that the Parliamentary election in Serbia will be a clash between the Democrats of Boris Tadic and the radicals. If the Radicals win, Serbia will have a government that would fight for Kosovo by any means, including military.

KOMMERSANT says that an alliance between the Radicals and Socialists may come out victorious from this election. In that case, writes the publication, the power would fall into the hands of a group led by the spirit of Slobodan Milosevic.

In the same paper, Zorana Boric says Kosovo is lost forever for Serbia. But it somehow doesn’t prevent Serbian politicians from continuing to use the issue of Kosovo in their rhetoric. However, she says, struggle for Kosovo may cause an even bigger loss: a loss of normal life.

The same newspaper writes about the ordeal of Russian businessman Viktor Bout arrested in Thailand as a result of a U.S. sting operation. The paper quotes his lawyer, Viktor Burobin: “There is no proof Bout ever dealt in illegal weapons. As for the Belgian case of alleged money laundering, on May 5, 2007 that country dropped all accusations against my client”. Quoted by another publication he says: “The whole story about the ”merchant of death“ is an invention of corrupt UN officials in Africa and the media”.