WP: Gorbachev Buys Newspaper Critical of Putin

[DeepModem Mom]

Gorbachev Buys Paper Critical of Putin
By Peter Finn
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, June 7, 2006

MOSCOW, June 7 -- Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Alexander Lebedev, a billionaire and often-contrary member of the ruling United Russia party, have bought a 49 percent stake in the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, a crusading publication that has often run tough and hostile articles about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In public, Gorbachev has expressed broad support of Putin's policies, praising him for stabilizing the country internally and strengthening it on the world stage. But some colleagues, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he is privately concerned about the increasing lack of political pluralism in the country, including state control of the media.

Gorbachev could not be reached for direct comment, but he spoke Wednesday at the World Newspaper Congress, which is being held here this week.

"You may ask us: Will the newspaper remain as it is now? We can just say that the editorial staff will continue to hold a controlling stake," said Gorbachev. "The newspaper's staff and we have agreed that the newspaper should keep its creative potential and continue to express a wide variety of opinions. We should -- this is one of our goals -- promote the newspaper's qualitative development in the interests of democratic values."

Lebedev, a member of parliament, said in a telephone interview that their investment will be used to turn the newspaper, which is published twice a week, into a daily newspaper with national reach....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/07/AR2006060701166.html

[samsingh]

1. Could Gorbachev buy some newspapers and television stations

here?

[w4rma]

2. Nice. Gorbachev is untouchable by Putin. (nt)