Pavel Grudinin, a businessman and Communist Party candidate for presidency, has heaped praises on Soviet ruler Josef Stalin in a recent conversation with blogger Yuri Dud.
According to the politician, over the past century there has been no other national leader who managed to touch such heights.
“Joseph Stalin is our best leader for the last hundred years, he improved economy, education and restored the country after the war. Yes, the Gulag existed, but thanks to Stalin [i.e. to the so-called ‘socialistic principle’ – belsat.eu] my father was educated, got an apartment and earned well. Even if he took unpopular decisions it is the result that counts. If Stalin ruled our country at the moment, I would be a Hero of Socialist Labor. And the comedy about Stalin is a travesty of our history.
And we should stop sprinkle ashes upon our heads and apologise for Stalin! Russia had another leader [Boris Yeltsin – belsat.eu]; during his rule people did not receive salaries and pensions and millions died in gang fight. Isn’t he a criminal? But a huge centre named after him was built! I am politically uncommitted, but I am grateful to Gennady Zyuganov [Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian federation] for the preservation of the Communist Party and for pioneers who still wear red scarves,” he said.
Grudinin stressed that Stalin was ‘fair’. Only two pairs of worn-out boots and two jackets were found after his death, but he did left the USSR a greater country, he added.
