Moscow press: Tadić to profit most from energy deal

Boris Tadic reaped big political dividends after signing yesterday’s energy deal, says the Moscow press. It is also stated strict Kremlin protocol was breached in order to accomodate Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica. Moscow press: Tadic to profit most from energy deal Kostunica accompanied the president on his trip to Moscow, and unlike prior to the first round of the presidential vote, the two displayed complete unity, says daily Rossiskaya Gazeta. “With this is in mind, the Serbian side even insisted, though in friendly terms, that Kremlin protocol be altered. Under protocol, only the leaders of the signatory countries are allowed to enter the ceremonial hall, but the Russians decided to make an exception on this occasion and allow the prime minister to be in attendance too,“ writes the pro-Kremlin paper. Gazeta adds that the Russian side also decided to respect parity at the highest level, with Deputy Prime Minister and presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev joining Putin at the post-ceremony press conference. The Serbian officials could not conceal their pleasure all day, particularly the president, who, the paper writes, looked as if we was expecting to reap political dividends from the deal,ahead of the presidential run-off on February 3. “Tadic’s short trip to Moscow undoubtedly means scoring extra points in the second round, which cannot be said for Tomislav Nikolic, who is also about to travel to Russia, though, according to Kremlin sources, he cannot count on a reception at the Kremlin,” says the paper. The daily adds that the purchasing price for NIS is three to four times too low according to various estimates, and that there is discontent in Serbia that the company was not sold at a tender. Komsomolskaya Pravda writes that Putin “met Tadic, and decided on one more important geo-political task for Moscow, and it seems that Tadic too left satisfied.“ The Serbian president’s arrival in Moscow could boost his poll ratings at home, in spite of the fact that the Kremlin is officially not supporting any single candidate. But, the fact that Putin met him in particular, and signed important agreements, means a lot, says the paper. Komersant looks in detail at relations between Tadic and Kostunica. They arrived in separate planes, at different times, and “it was not hard to see that relations between the two were strained, to put it mildly,“ said the daily. The Komersant journalist said he had witnessed a scene shortly prior to the signing of the document, when the prime minister’s delegation “begged“ for their man to be given a microphone, which the president’s delegation strongly objected to. The paper added that Kostunica had been given a microphone in the end, as it was not in Russia’s interests for such an important occasion to be overshadowed, as ultimately, they had got everything they had asked for – a majority holding in the Serbian Oil Industry.

Moscow press: Tadić to profit most from energy deal

Koštunica accompanied the president on his trip to Moscow, and unlike prior to the first round of the presidential vote, the two displayed complete unity, says daily Rossiskaya Gazeta.

“With this is in mind, the Serbian side even insisted, though in friendly terms, that Kremlin protocol be altered. Under protocol, only the leaders of the signatory countries are allowed to enter the ceremonial hall, but the Russians decided to make an exception on this occasion and allow the prime minister to be in attendance too,“ writes the pro-Kremlin paper.

Gazeta adds that the Russian side also decided to respect parity at the highest level, with Deputy Prime Minister and presidential candidate Dmitry Medvedev joining Putin at the post-ceremony press conference.

The Serbian officials could not conceal their pleasure all day, particularly the president, who, the paper writes, looked as if we was expecting to reap political dividends from the deal,ahead of the presidential run-off on February 3.

“Tadić’s short trip to Moscow undoubtedly means scoring extra points in the second round, which cannot be said for Tomislav Nikolić, who is also about to travel to Russia, though, according to Kremlin sources, he cannot count on a reception at the Kremlin,” says the paper.

The daily adds that the purchasing price for NIS is three to four times too low according to various estimates, and that there is discontent in Serbia that the company was not sold at a tender.

Komsomolskaya Pravda writes that Putin “met Tadić, and decided on one more important geo-political task for Moscow, and it seems that Tadić too left satisfied.“

The Serbian president’s arrival in Moscow could boost his poll ratings at home, in spite of the fact that the Kremlin is officially not supporting any single candidate. But, the fact that Putin met him in particular, and signed important agreements, means a lot, says the paper.

Komersant looks in detail at relations between Tadić and Koštunica.

They arrived in separate planes, at different times, and “it was not hard to see that relations between the two were strained, to put it mildly,“ said the daily.

The Komersant journalist said he had witnessed a scene shortly prior to the signing of the document, when the prime minister’s delegation “begged“ for their man to be given a microphone, which the president’s delegation strongly objected to.

The paper added that Koštunica had been given a microphone in the end, as it was not in Russia’s interests for such an important occasion to be overshadowed, as ultimately, they had got everything they had asked for – a majority holding in the Serbian Oil Industry.