On May 1, during the traditional May Day parade, then-President Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin were on a mission to get closer to their electorate. Or it might be just Medvedev who couldn’t miss the opportunity to show off his brand new white coat. For better or worse, they marched along with people, shaking hands, kissing children, discussing the bright future of the country… Well, they did it, and they did it pretty well, and the coat—was fabulous:
They went even further in a bid to discuss everything with ordinary people, and stopped by Zhiguli bar. However, the only person allowed to talk to the tandem, was Valeriy Trapeznickov, grade 6 mechanic and Duma delegate known for his great obsession with both Medvedev and Putin. Rumor has it, the entire bar had to be evacuated prior to the arrival of the Tandem. Which is no surprise, since the event was aimed at press and television.
The International Workers’ day (May 1), or the Festival of Spring and Labor, is a tradition dating back to the Soviet times. Russians celebrate it in many ways: some bring back the spirit of the Soviets, some drink beer with friends, and some—show off a coat.
