Official Russia

When are these reactionary regional leaders ever going to learn that the best way to “protect the integrity of the president” is not to freak out over every small protest or publication of criticism?  One would assume that not even Mr. Medvedev would be too pleased by these eager efforts, damaging as it is to his effort to push liberal credentials.

From AFP:

A newspaper in Russia is coming under pressure from regional
authorities after running a Canadian article highly critical of
President Dmitry Medvedev, its editor said Wednesday.

Iskra, a
free biweekly in the Karelia republic that borders on Finland, ran a
translation of the Vancouver Sun column in late May, prompting the ire
of local officials, editor Maria Morozova told AFP by telephone.

First
to react was Karelia’s governor Sergei Katanandov, who accused Iskra of
“treating with contempt the elected leader of our great country by
hiding behind dirty foreign pamphlets.”

Morozova said several
advertisers were failing to cooperate because of the row and
businessmen were asking for Iskra to be removed from distribution
points.

The offending article, titled “Dmitry Medvedev’s underwhelming year as lapdog,” can be read here from the Vancouver Sun.

Source: Robert Amsterdam