Terms of life in Russia Mazen Abbas

I studied at the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University, and in 1988 arrived in Moscow to enroll in graduate school. He wrote his thesis "The complications of the cardiovascular system in children with infectious diseases." He made no discovery, but he defended his thesis. I wanted to be a journalist is still at the university, but in Cairo to find a job was impossible, and I already had a family. Besides, I am a Communist, and Communists lived in Cairo, easily, and in 1997 I came here already as a journalist.





When Yeltsin resigned, I worked in the Associated Press and was the only reporter. December 31, 1999 I did not have. On top of this we are the operator feared that at any moment all the computers to hell bang - there were rumors that on the night of the year 2000 all the equipment will depart.

Russian television makes mistakes. Many things do not fall into the ether of governmental and nongovernmental channels, because they themselves relate. Are you surprised that the meetings did not show? For comparison, when the demonstrations in Egypt were on the air of our channels endlessly showing the Nile River. I went to joke that the authorities will show Neil as long as the river does not jump out of the fish and shout: "I am in favor of Mubarak!". In such matters, all channels behave identically.

In 2004, I filmed TV reports about skinheads - many Arab students and diplomats have suffered at their hands. One of the Nazis, Simon, took me to skinhead disco near Leninsky Prospekt - an ordinary building, no markings. Outwardly, I do not very much like an Arab, and that my accent was not heard, Simon asked me all the time to keep quiet. Operator I bring with me were not allowed, shooting Nazis themselves did. They have a very interesting technique: special music, strange dances, of course, what cries, and young people in half an hour like a drug.

With some nationalists authority enters into a transaction. Recently, I met a former prosecutor, who is now one of the leaders of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration. For me, all at once it became clear: first, he needed to power one post, then - on the other.

In Russia, you can say whatever you want, do not intercede in this case the red line. You can criticize Gryzlov, Lavrov and others. But systematically and to criticize the Kremlin for a long time you do not give. In such a position of any authority, "You say that you want, and we will still do what we consider necessary." It occurs in all countries where there is the presidential power.

As an observer, I believe that if there is no parliamentary reform, the parliament will lose its function. I remember that in 1990 we journalists often went to the Duma, spoke with the deputies. Now things have no meaning.

In 2010, I was doing stuff about the scandal connected with the supply of arms and military equipment from Russia to Algeria. They put the MiG-29, and most of the aircraft proved to be useless. They returned, began an investigation. It turned out the following: under the state contract between Russia and Algeria in the $ 1, 1 billion, concluded in January 2006, the Ministry of Defence of the African state was in addition to the 28 combat MiG-29 and 6 combat-capable MiG-29 to receive and spare parts. Acquisition of spare parts involved in the company 'Aviaremsnab ", which was the general director of businessman Musa Ismailov. Ismailov from September to December 2006 found a necessary accessories including spare parts with expired warranties and storage made them redecorating, issued falsified data sheets and handed MiG.

In Russia, I miss the warmth of human relations. When you come to any government agency, then see how two employees sit and talk nice to each other. When one of them turns to you, her face instantly hardens. I have things immediately cause aggression.

There are many normal procedure absurdly complicated. When we were filming the office in the hotel "Russia", the next to us literally on the same floor, there was a notary office. They were forced to take on the staff of a special man who was involved in only those that meet customer and escorted them from the first floor to the third. Why is that? But because the man in the street to climb on the hotel floor just can not.

Western TV crews in Russia work very easily. For comparison, I was in Kabul in 2002 and could move freely in any direction. Of course, you can tell me what a mess in Afghanistan, the government there, and no one cares to journalists. But I was in Kosovo and in Belgrade, and no one interfered with my work. You arrived in the country are accredited - and forward. And so here I rented at a rally on Triumph Square, policeman comes up to me, trying to unscrew the hand. I tell him: "I - the press." He replies: "Here all the press, you're gone ..." - and grabbed me by the arm. It is fortunate that he was approached by his boss, the policeman was distracted by a conversation, and I was winded.

In economic terms, Russia - country of multi-system. There underdeveloped capitalism, underdeveloped socialism, and the main role is played by the bureaucracy, and thus corruption. And where there is corruption, democracy can not be, because they do not like each other.

Egypt's economy, like Russia, is far from perfect. On the one hand, Egypt lives off tourism and US aid. On the other - in the last twenty years there has blossomed corruption. Businessmen close to the government, bought for a song on the coast of land for development. Then they went into power. For example, Ahmad Eze, the main leader of the parliamentary election, which was held under Mubarak, at the same time was the owner of the largest Egyptian production plant valves.

In 2005 I traveled to Chechnya to shoot the presidential election. Our crew went, accompanied by officers of the FSB, and otherwise - in any way. These guys made the route for us. Oh well. We arrive at a polling station, there are no voters there. On the other site of the same picture. On the third - too. I tell the man from the FSB, "Look, so one is not!". He was very offended, "How is it - no one ?! You're the same people from the electoral commission said that the residents came, there were many, and unanimously voted for Kadyrov ».

Following the elections to the Duma, I talked with Sergei Neverov, secretary of the Presidium of the General Council of "United Russia". He told me he did not think their defeat. The meaning of his words was that after the economic crisis, the political map has changed in many countries - such as Greece or Italy. A "United Russia" still maintained its leading position. But if I was a party, you would consider that such a victory is much more like a defeat.

Over the past ten years, each year in Egypt took place over five hundred strikes, we considered them as a counter, and filmed their stories. The most powerful wake up call in April 2008 when a new opposition, which we did not know. At that time, Facebook held no real power, but that there was formed a group of young people who supported the workers on April 6, 2008 to begin a strike in the city of El-Mahalla El-Kubra. Through social networks, they sent out thousands of letters with invitations to meetings in Cairo and Alexandria. The average age of these people ranged from 20 to 25 years; later, they called themselves the "April 6 Movement". Actually, with this movement all began.

I've been three times in the winter in Egypt. Protests in Tahrir Square by the time lasted for several days. Let me explain how to construct the Tahrir Square. It is a circular shape, radiate from her streets. The northern part of the square goes into the street Qasr Al Ain, the Western - in Talaat Harb street, close - a bridge over the Nile, the Qasr al-Nil. Along the perimeter of the square are the Cairo Museum, the headquarters of the National Democratic Party, a government building "Mogamma", the headquarters of the Arab League, the hotel "Nile" and the campus of the American University in Cairo. Initially, demonstrators founded in center of the square. Then they began to block the streets: founded the People's Revolutionary Committee, put up patrols at the beginning of the streets bordering the square. In Tahrir not let people with drugs and weapons. In the center he operated a radio receiving station. On the first request the desired group of demonstrators blocked the streets. In one of the shops in the area staged a prison for the provocateurs. The park has pitched a tent hospital. Tahrir became an independent state, and foreign journalists feel safer there than outside. When a wave of demonstrations throughout the city and the police could not stand, revolutionary committees were set up in each area: in every act your password, which changed hands several times a day. And the only way they lasted. But around 600 protesters were killed and 7000 were injured.

Moscow - is a rich city, where people live very well. Strikes are not practiced in it. But one-party system, which is trying to take a multi-party view, sooner or later will cause dissatisfaction among the people. However, "Tahrir" in Russia, in my view, impossible. To do this, your country is too big and too multinational.

I do not know whether to make your power of blogger Alexei Navalny second Khodorkovsky. But if she will continue to use force against him, he will become a figure of the same scale as Khodorkovsky - a serious character, which will fight serious methods.

I do not think that your power to change their behavior.