Vladimir Zhirinovsky speaks out on state capitalism in the energy sector.

“I urge all who are involved in the oil and gas business and everyone who has anything to do with the energy sector, please, give up your companies to the state!” According to REGNUM news agency, this statement was made by the leader of the Liberal Democratic party of Russia and deputy chairperson of the State Duma of Russia, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, commenting on the situation surrounding the sale of Mikhail Gutseriev’s company Russneft.

“The 21st century is marked by a struggle for energy resources. Therefore, everything that has anything to do with the energy field must belong to the state. Let it be one big state-run structure, like Gosenergoprom, which will handle the entire energy power of the country, while the profits will be channelled, accordingly, to the state treasury,” Zhirinovsky said. “Gutseriev’s behavior was totally correct. You should not interfere with strategic parts of the industry: oil, coal, gas, transport and communications. Operation of these fields is provided by the state and until independent businessmen are involved, enormous profits will bypass the country’s treasury,” he added. <...>

(Regnum.ru, 31.07.2007)