The key facts
- Peskov: 'The president adjusts it [the schedule] himself, makes some additions, changes something'
- The changes require a quick reaction from staff responsible for organizing events
- Earlier Ushakov said that they try to include as many events as possible in each of Putin's days
Who changes the president's schedule
Press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov told Vesti news agency journalist Pavel Zarubin that Vladimir Putin adjusts his working schedule on his own. Peskov's words are cited by Life.ru. According to him, staff responsible for organizing events have to react promptly to such changes and rearrange plans. The same statement is reported by Gazeta.Ru, which relayed the comment via RIA Novosti.
What was previously known about the density of the schedule
This is not the first public description of how the presidential schedule is organized. As Life.ru reported, aide to the head of state Yuri Ushakov described Putin's schedule at summits as the Kremlin tries to fit as many events as possible into each working day, providing for the possibility of several meetings and negotiations within a single day. Peskov's new statement clarifies the picture: the density of the schedule is set not only by planners but also by the president himself, who makes additions on his own initiative.
Communications and vacations: what Peskov said earlier
Gazeta.Ru also recalls the press secretary's earlier comments. According to him, Putin never calls administration staff on a regular phone but uses special communications; on vacation such special communications are usually unavailable, so administration staff can rest Peskov stated that Putin never officially goes on vacation, although occasionally he manages to carve out a few days off; the president himself, according to Peskov, noted the benefits of a full summer rest for health and family.
