The Chairperson of the Council of Federation, Ñhairperson of A Just Russia political party Sergei Mironov

answers questions of the website (www.mironov.ru) visitors.

 

1. How would you account for your success in life? Is it mostly a result of strenuous labor or partially luck?

– I think that is basically due to hard labour, self-assurance, eagerness to learn and ability to deal with people successfully.

 

2. Do women play an importnat role in your life?

– I’ll answer by paraphrasing the famous expression: “All my best qualities are much to their credit”.

 

3. On what basis do you judge another person? What qualities make a good man in your opinion?

–Only by person’s actions. Credibility, honesty, kindness and intelligence.

 

4. You’ve reached 55 this year.Do you review your life?

– I’d rather leave reviewing and summarizing to others. Plans are plenty, everything is just about to beigin.

 

5. What is the most unpleasant side of being Chairperson of the Council of Federaion and what brings you the most pleasure?

– By all means - signing a pile of papers at the end of the day is the most unpleasant, while helping people is the best about my work.

 

6. What is the main lesson you learnt as a child?

– There’s no point in hiding lie- it will be revelaed anyway.

 

7. Is it easy for you to make drastic changes?

– Not easy at all. But I do. And  when I make a decision, I  never regret it afterwards and always go through with it.

 

8.Dou you have moments of weakness?

– Yes, but no one has ever seen them and will never see them.

 

9. At present, what do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

– Foundation of A Just Russia Party, a modern socialist party.

 

10. How do you treat religions?

– With great respect.

 

11. Under what circumstances do you usually agree to a compromise and when-never?

– Politics is the art of compromise. One must be always ready  to compromise with relatives, but never to compromise one’s principles and beliefs.

 

12. You have a very busy schedule with lots of travels.
How do you keep fit in order to be so energetic?

– I wish I could say I do sports regularly, but it is not true, unfortunately. Probably, geology work and army service taught me to be responsible. And, fortunately, I am an early riser and a night person simultaneously.

 

13. What kinds of sports did you use to practice?

– Before army I did cycling and then I took up such sports as orienteering and sambo.

 

14. What part of your life belongs to love?

– Fortunately, a great one.

 

15. What role in your life does the Internet play?

– A big one, a big part of the day

 

18. Which of your talents would you like to develop?

– Musical talents.

 

19. What instrument can you play and what instrument would you like to learn to play?

– I can play the spoons. And I have always dreamt of learning to play piano. Even more than a guitar.

 

20. What is the utmost happinnes for you?

– Happinness of my family.

 

21. What is your motto?

– Nobody but we (can do it)! (Airborne forces motto).

 

22. What was your dream job in the childhood?

- I dreamt of becoming a geologist.

 

23. What did you dream of when you were a child? Did your dreams come true?

– To open a deposit occurence. And I did realize my dream.

 

24. What do you consider the most important component of children’s upbringing?

– Parental love.

 

25. What were your main guidelines for children’s upbringing?

– 1. Treat other prople the way you want to be treated. 2. Learn all your life. 3. Your parents are the closest and dearest people. Whatever troubles you may face, they will always share them and give you a helping hand.

 

26. Do you want to become a space tourist?

– No.

 

27. Do you often meet your freinds?

– I wish I could see them more often.

 

28. Have you acquired genuine friends during your years in politics?

– No.

 

29. Can your drive?

– Yes.

 

30. What is your favourite car?

- BMW, Hummer.

 

31. What foreign languages can you speak?

- English (not perfect) and a bit of Mongolian.

 

32. What language would you like to learn?

– Spanish.

 

33. What do your prefer to in the morning – tea or coffee?

– Coffee.

 

34. Can you play chess?

– Yes.

 

35. In your opinion, where is the best geology museum located?

– In St.Petersburg Minig Institute.

 

36. What qualities are the most essential for a politician?

–  Intelligence, consciousness, kindness.

 

37. What for do you deserve praise/ñriticism as a politician?

–It is not up to me, but people to decide it.

 

38. Is there anything you regret about?

– A 24-hour day is not enough for me. I wish it were longer

 

39. Have you ever wrote poetry, fiction, songs or maybe paint pictures? And if you did what were they about?

– Of course, in youth I wrote love poetry and fiction.

 

40. What do you dream about most often?

– Of Russia’s magnificent future.

 

41. Imagine that you have an absolutely free day. How would you spend such a day?

– First of all, I’d have a long sleep. Then I’d read a good book and have a walk.

 

42. In your student years you had much of a field practice. Do you miss it now? If so, what moments or peculiarities of such a lifestyle bring back nostalgic memories? What episodes were especially exciting and joyful?

– Yes, I still miss and often recall this period of my life as a geologist. Geology is a hard man’s job, but your faithful friends always stand by you. Regarding joyful moments, fortunately, they were many.

 

43. What of your personal qualities of your youth would you like to return?

– Fortunately, I’ll manage to keep all them with me.

 

44. How do you canvass opinion about your interlocutor? What kind of people repulses you?

– My chief criterion is intelligence, manners. I can’t stand arrogance.

 

45. What is useless to ask you about?

– To give up job or work I have started.

 

46. Your ideal vacation is...

– Fishing or mushroom-picking.

 

47. You’ve got 5 postgraduate degrees. What else kind of knowledge would you like to acquire?

– Learning knows no boundaries. Besides, I like to learn.

 

48. Is current young generation differ from that of yours?
 Is it being young nowdays happier than that of your generation?

- Does not really matter.It is happinness to be young at all times.

 

49. Are you a football fan?

- Yes, I am a Zenit fan" («Zenit is a champion!»).

 

50. What are your hobbies?

- Mineral collection. Also, I enjoy spin fishing.

 

51. What famous people from the past would you like to meet? What would you ask them about?

– Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander Nevsky, Alexander Pushkin, Marina Tsvetaeva, Vladimir Vernadsky, Georgy Zhukov, Sergei Korolev, Yuri Gagarin.There are plenty issues to discuss with them.

 

52. What philosopher influenced you a lot?

– Viktor Frankl.

 

53. Your attutide to global warming issue?

– I think we all must get prepared for global cooling, which is to start approximately in the second half of the 21 st century.

 

54. Your favourite composer.

– Antonio Vivaldi.

 

55. Favourite musical piece?

– Dresden concert by Antonio Vivaldi, «Per Gynt by Edward Grieg and lute music of 18 century.

 

56. Is there any foreign writer whose complete collection of works you have read?

– Erich Maria Remarque.

 

57. What literature would you like to read in original language?

– Shakespeare’s works.

 

58. You have an expanded social circle which includes a lot famous  people. Who has produced the greatest impression on you?

– Dmitry Likhachev, Vasily Margelov, Vladimir Putin, my sister Marina.

 

59. What historic figure is an example for you?

– Charl de Gaulle, Spartak.

 

60. Back to literature, can you name the most striking book written by a foreign author?

– I like the American science fiction writer Arthur Clark, especially his short stories for their incredible outcome.

 

61. Your favourite foreign poet?

– Giyom Appoliner .

 

62. What fiction character has fascinated you?

– Jack London’s Martin Iden has always attracted me as a strong-willed man, man of integrity.

 

63. What piece of foreign painting produced a remarkable impression on you?

– French impressionists.

 

64. Favourite film director.

– Steven Spielberg.

 

65. Favourite foreign actor/actress.

– Bruce Willis and Sophie Marceau.

 

66. Favourite foreign film character.

–Bruce Willis from Last Boy Scout and Tim Robbins as the chief character of the Shawshank redemption.

 

67. What foreign music did you enjoy listening in your student years? How did you get an access to it?

–Beatles was one of my favourites. I didn’t have a tape-recorder, thus I listened to the tapes at my friend’s home.

 

68. Favourite book of your childhood.

– Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and stories by Jack London.

 

69. What ancient Greek myths do you particulary enjoy?

- Herculean labours. In particular, story about Augean stables.

 

70. What period in the history of the world’s culture (àntiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Enlightenment) appelas to you?

 I have aways been fascinated by Antiquity for its valour, intelligence and spirituality.

 

71. Which country would you like to visit?

– I dream of travelling to Japan and India.

 

72. What country has produced the most powerful impression on you?

– I guess it was Mexica’s Teotihuacan Pyramids.

 

73. To which country would you like to return?

- Mongolia.

 

74. Your attitude to anti-Russian campaign held in Ukraine?

– Naturally, it’s negative.

 

75. In your opinion, is outbreak of the 3rd World War possible?

– Hope it isn’t. It is unlikely untill we keep gun-powder dry.

 

76. Is it obligatory, in your opinion, to repatriate German objects of cultural heritage, taken away by the USSR at the end of the Second World War?

– There’s a a law to control the process, each case is individual.

 

77. Your stand on globalization. Is it a threat to national identity or historic objective law?

– Globalization through new technologies is objective. Political globalization –is threat to national sovereignty, not only to national identity.

 

78. Do you think that the mankind can find life beyond the Earth?

– Yes. My logic is simple: if the Universe (or Universes) has no boundaries, therefore it means that there must be a life somewhere. We can’t be an exception.

 

79. You stand against capital punishment. Why?

– I am deeply convinced that cruelty and fear can’t prevent crimes. Also, because of numerous mistakes I am all in favour of life sentence without the right to amnesty rather than capital punishment.

 

80. What is the major Russia’s problem?

– Poor demography.

 

81. Should Russia strive to reconstruct the USSR? And why?

–Perhaps, not to reconstruct the USSR, but seek reliable allies.

 

82. Three words from you describing Russia.

– Great, generous, holy!