Showing posts with label Regions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regions. Show all posts

Vladimir Putin met with Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun

Marina Kovtun briefed Russian President on the socioeconomic situation in the Murmansk region. In addition to the main topic of the meeting, the project to enlist young doctors to work in the North as part of the Arctic Doctor program has been discussed.

Vladimir Putin met with Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun in the Kremlin
Vladimir Putin met with Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun in the Kremlin.
Marina Kovtun told Mr. Putin that there are positive trends in several main economic indicators. During the first nine months of this year, industrial production increased by 14 percent. Metals production was up 24 percent, ore enrichment 14 percent, ship repairs 19.4 percent and the mining industry 10 percent. Investment in fixed assets increased 40 percent, cargo transhipment at ports 70 percent, and production of aquatic bio resources 11 percent. Inflation has slowed, and the situation on the labor market has stabilized.


At the same time, tax revenues fell 4 percent short of the target. This has to do with the fact that the regional economy is export oriented and currency fluctuations are affecting tax revenues. Nevertheless, the region has a low, safe level of public debt: In 2017, it is 36 percent relative to revenues and in 2018 it will be 42 percent.

Vladimir Putin at the meeting with Murmansk Region Governor in the Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun in the Kremlin.
Regarding the implementation of the Presidential May executive orders, the Governor guaranteed that all social parameters will be achieved in 2018. The Murmansk Governor described the shortage of medical personnel as the main problem in the healthcare sector. People are reluctant to go to work to the north, even though wages there are somewhat higher than in other regions, because living conditions are harder: polar nights and harsh climate.

Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun
Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun.
The Murmansk Region has submitted to the Ministry of Healthcare and the Finance Ministry of Russia a draft program, Arctic Doctor, that covers all territories in the Arctic zone. The program calls for 2 000 000 rubles to be paid to doctors who sign five-year contracts: 500 000 during each of the first two years, and 1 000 000 after five years. The Governor hopes that the problem will be completely solved in 10 years. The region currently needs about 636 doctors.

Vladimir Putin at the meeting with Murmansk Region Governor in the Kremlin
Vladimir Putin at the meeting with Murmansk Region Governor.
President Putin pledged support for the project, while noting that it must be finalized with the Healthcare Ministry and the Finance Ministry of Russia.

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Putin had a meeting with former regional leaders

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the outgoing heads of Novosibirsk Region, Daghestan, Ivanovo Region, Omsk Region, Samara Region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Orel Region, the Nenets Autonomous Area, and Primorye and Krasnoyarsk territories. The meeting was held in the Kremlin.

Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko also participated in this meeting in the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin and former leaders of regions of Russia
Meeting of Vladimir Putin with former Russian regional leaders in the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Good afternoon,

I wanted to meet and thank you for your outstanding work. Some of you were in office for longer time than others, but all of you worked in extremely difficult circumstances. Here is what I wanted to tell you.


We are all aware of the fact that it never was smooth sailing. There is no need to describe the current situation. The circumstances in which we all lived and you worked included external constraints and purely objective things of economic nature. Globally, and for the Russian economy as well, these were not the best times. However, you managed to keep the situation in the country under your full control and stabilize it. It was not an easy socioeconomic challenge, but you did everything in your power to minimize the external negative impacts.

Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. Former Russian regional leaders.
Vladimir Putin at the meeting with former regional leaders of Russia.
I am aware that some of you have been asking for a long time to be replaced in your post – some had been already serving for a very long time, and still others were looking for other job themselves, the reasons were different. Anyway, I'd like to stress the most important thing: each of you has done his best in office in order to preserve, stabilize and create proper conditions for the further development of the Russian regions.

To conclude the first part of my speech, I'd like to not just express my gratitude to all of you, but also let you understand that all the necessary documents have been prepared, and you'll all receive state decorations for the specific work you did in the regions of Russia. This is my first point.

Meeting with former Russian regional leaders in the Kremlin.
Meeting with former Russian regional leaders in the Kremlin.
Second is the further development of Russia: human resources and so-called continuity. I'd like to ask you to render your assistance to the people who have taken your place. As a rule, these are young people who are just starting out in these high positions. Probably you have noticed the fire in their eyes. I'm sure that all of them are striving to fulfill their real potential, to show their capabilities. It has always been useful to know and get a sense of what was done before them and what conditions lead to that. It also useful to know about the most promising areas of regional development. Of course, they have to strike out on their own, but I will be most grateful to you if you share with them at least part of your experience and capabilities.

Former Russian regional leaders at the meeting with the President of Russia in the Kremlin.
Former Russian regional leaders at the meeting with the President of Russia in the Kremlin.
Probably you have noticed that we are trying hard to work with the so-called personnel reserve on a broader scale. The new program, Leaders of Russia, has been announced. There are also other projects for personnel training. So, I am also counting on you in these questions.

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with former regional leaders in the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin held a meeting with former regional leaders in the Kremlin.
Each of you already knows approximately what he will do. But there are still some outstanding issues. I want you to know that we'll work on odds and ends with each of you and do our best to allow you make full use of your capabilities, experience and knowledge in your new jobs. I believe you will try to do your best in order to achieve outstanding results no matter what positions you occupy.

Vladimir Putin had a meeting with former regional leaders of Russia.
Russian President meeting with former regional leaders of Russia.
Now a few words in conclusion of my speech. The New Year 2018 is not far off and I hope to have an opportunity to congratulate you at this reception in the Kremlin. I invite all of you together with your wives to the reception in the Kremlin. We will also invite all other colleagues who has left their positions as heads of regions.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
That concludes what I wanted to say. I will be pleased to answer your questions and talk informally with you.

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Vladimir Putin met with Kursk Region Governor Alexander Mikhailov

Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Kursk Region Governor Alexander Mikhailov to discuss the regional socioeconomic situation.

The discussion between Vladimir Putin and Alexander Mikhailov concerned the industrial and agro-industrial sectors, as well as in healthcare and education. Special consideration was given to efforts to reduce the regional budget’s numerous debts.

Vladimir Putin with Kursk Region Governor Alexander Mikhailov.
Vladimir Putin with Kursk Region Governor Alexander Mikhailov.
Alexander Mikhailov told Vladimir Putin that the gross regional product has soared 2.2-fold since 2001–2002, with fixed-capital investment volumes increasing 3.5-fold since the early 2000s. The industry has been posting a 3–5 percent annual growth over the last 12 years. The region implements innovation and import substitution projects. In all, 41 industrial innovation projects are currently being implemented. The region is building the Kursk-2 reserve nuclear power station.


The agro-industrial sector grew by 12.1 percent last year on 2015 and has posted a 6.5 percent growth between January and August of 2017 on the same period of 2016. The region ranks among the six best Russian regions in terms of volumes of grain production and is the second-largest meat producer nationwide. This year, the region will harvest over five million tons of beets and between 500,000 and 520,000 tons of sugar beet. The region is ready to export agricultural produce including the plant-growing sector.

Alexander Mikhailov Kursk Region Governor Russia
Alexander Mikhailov - Kursk Region Governor.
Regarding the social sector, the region implemented a program for the sustained development of rural areas accounting for 35 percent of its population. The number of villages with 1,000 residents and more has increased. This means that such villages now have schools, good roads, power stations, plus cultural and healthcare facilities. The region has a proactive farming sector, with 1,340 farms posting an impressive and sustained performance.

Alexander Mixailov at the meeting with President of Russia
Alexander Mixailov at the meeting with President of Russia.
Speaking on the subject of the social sector, the Governor underscored that the region would achieve parameters stipulated by the President’s May 2012 Executive Orders before the year is out.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin during meeting with Kursk Region Governor
Vladimir Putin during meeting with Kursk Region Governor.
They also discussed in great detail the consequences for Kursk Region of a proposed program to support regional finances, linked with the need to reduce the massive debts of regional budgets. Mr. Mikhailov noted cooperation with the Ministry of Finance on this issue and the efforts to replace commercial loans with budget loans that carry lower interest rates.


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Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Stanislav Voskresensky

President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with Stanislav Voskresensky and appointed him Acting Governor of the Ivanovo Region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin with Acting Governor of the Ivanovo Region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin with Acting Governor of the Ivanovo Region.
Vladimir Putin signed Executive Order On Early Termination of the Ivanovo Region Governor’s Mandate.


Following the request by Ivanovo Region Governor Pavel Konkov on the early termination of his powers, the President resolved to accept his resignation and appoint Stanislav Voskresensky Acting Governor of the region until an elected governor assumes office.

Putin.BLOG - PHOTO:

Stanislav Voskresensky Acting Governor of Ivanovo Region
Stanislav Voskresensky Acting Governor of Ivanovo Region.
Vladimir Putin and Stanislav Voskresensky in the Kremlin
Vladimir Putin and Stanislav Voskresensky in the Kremlin.

President Putin had a meeting with Alexander Burkov

Vladimir Putin met with Alexander Burkov and informed Mr. Burkov of appointing him Acting Governor of the Omsk Region.

Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Alexander Burkov during which Russian President inform him of his decision to appoint Mr. Burkov Acting Governor of the Omsk Region
Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Alexander Burkov during which Russian President inform him of his decision to appoint Mr. Burkov Acting Governor of the Omsk Region.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed Executive Order On Early Termination of Mandate of Omsk Region Governor.


Viktor Nazarov have recently made a request to release him of the duties as a Governor of Omsk Region, Vladimir Putin resolved to accept Mr. Nazarov’s resignation and appointed Alexander Burkov Acting Governor of the Omsk Region until an elected one would assume his office.

Alexander Burkov in the Kremlin at the meeting with the President of the Russian Federation
Alexander Burkov in the Kremlin at the meeting with the President of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin met with Chairperson of the Central Election Commission

Vladimir Putin had a working meeting in the Kremlin with Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova.


Ella Pamfilova informed President Putin of the elections outcomes that had taken place on the unified day of voting on the 10th of September, 2017.
Vladimir Putin
President of Russia Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin:

Ms. Pamfilova, could you share your assessment of the outcomes of the unified voting day?

Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova:

First, elections were held in 82 out of 85 regions. I have to say that competition during these elections was quite intense. In 16 regions where gubernatorial elections took place there were from three to seven candidates, and as many as eight or nine candidates in six regions which elected regional legislative assemblies. This goes to show that any talk of elections not being really competitive is groundless. On the contrary, the elections were very competitive.


I would like to thank you, Mr. Putin, for taking into account, among other things, data coming from the Central Election Commission on the unified voting day results in 2016 and 2017 when taking decisions on new appointments in the regions. This is very important. We are about to complete efforts to address election-related issues we had in 2016. The commission is currently working on three regions: Dagestan, Mytishchi in the Moscow Region and the Saratov Region.

The number of complaints was at record low during the last campaign. In the regions, there was a sharp drop in the number of complaints coming from the deputies. About 18 percent of all complaints had to do with elections of governors and regional legislative assemblies. In fact, 80 percent of complaints were related to the election of municipal councils, and most of them refer to early voting. This is a headache we have not been able to resolve thus far. On the one hand, it is a matter of ensuring voting rights to the maximum possible extent. On the other hand, we need to make sure that early voting is not used for engaging in any kind of abusive activity. We are thinking about how this can be done.

Vladimir Putin, Ella Pamfilova
Vladimir Putin with Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova.
There is another thing I wanted to highlight. We have introduced a number of innovations. Thank you for supporting them. We have tested them during this campaign. These innovations consisted primarily of moving away from serfdom-like election regulations whereby people were assigned to specific polling stations. This system underwent rigorous testing. There were almost no complaints on this system, which means that people accepted it. Not only were there no complaints, but we even received accolades for providing additional opportunities enabling people to vote at their actual place of residence, not where they are officially registered. If the same approach is used during the upcoming presidential election, we expect millions of people to benefit from this solution, given the size of our country. We are currently focusing on getting the word out about these new opportunities. We have removed all the barriers, and people must be aware of the opportunities they now have and must know how to use them.

We are explaining to people where they can vote and how. Our information center for the presidential campaign is already working. We engaged multifunctional centers and the unified government services system which offers online registration. Our colleagues in the regions have been explaining all this to everyone. Some 242,000 people learned about this mechanism and used it, even though the campaign was very brief and many people were still on holiday. All in all, there were a number of innovations.

Ella Pomfilova in the Kremlin. Meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova.
Once again, I would like to thank you for supporting our initiatives regarding amendments to provide better conditions for the many people with disabilities we have in Russia. What is being done to this effect? In schools, we are moving polling stations from the first to the ground floor so that everyone can go there. With these legislative changes, all social services have to report on people’s disabilities to the election commission, so that we can reach every person, and make sure that such people can cast their ballots at home, of course subject to oversight by election observers.

It was the first time that we advanced the public control system to such a high level. We never did this before. In fact, few countries have an element, which we have formalized, that is, video monitoring. Many regions used it of their own free will, and we are now introducing video surveillance at territorial election commissions. What does this mean? It means that groups and individual representatives from various parties, as well as observers, will be able to control the process as well as feed protocols into the State Automated System Vybory. In other words, we have created the necessary conditions.

Moreover, we are training observers and we have created a maximally positive environment. During the 2015 campaign, we had to evict 134 people [from polling stations], whereas this time it happened only to one individual by a court decision, and another person was inebriated and misbehaved. So, only two evictions.

The Central Election Commission is working on this now. We are training observers and are inviting parties to cooperate. If you want to have honest elections, do not complain but be active, come to us to be trained as an observer. We have an unprecedentedly transparent system.

The use of QR codes and machine-readable representation of data has decreased the number of human errors. Look at this. Compared to similar campaigns in previous years, the feeding of protocols now takes half the time because we use computers. The checking of data is done very quickly, which allows us to monitor the situation virtually in real time. If we see a lapse, we pinpoint the problem very quickly. In other words, we have stepped up control and hence accelerated the overall process. Moreover, the number of repeat entries, which has always been a problem, has been halved as well. We have introduced a series of technical innovations that make the system transparent.

Mr. Putin, the most important element is the human factor. People’s mood is changing. Personnel rotation is considerable. Election commission members are approximately nine years younger now. The leadership of regional election commissions has been renewed by some 40 percent. We analyzed their performance during the past two campaigns. Moreover, the number of government representatives on these commissions is decreasing. The 85 regional commissions have representatives from seven or eight parties on average. In all, 33 parties send their representatives to election commissions, that is, four parliamentary parties plus 29 more. This is a powerful control instrument, and we are willing to train party members to do this.

We see maximum openness everywhere. We have held round-table discussions with members of the expert community and parties to discuss where we succeeded, where we failed, and how innovations are performed. As I said, there were hardly any complaints regarding our innovative methods. The only element of concern is the so-called municipal filter.

I would like to point out the following. It is very good, as I have said, that we have abandoned the system of early voting at all kinds of elections. Now we will think about what we can do at the municipal level. It is very good that we have created maximally good conditions for the observers.

On the other hand, we could strengthen the public element, that is, return civil society observers to the elections. We will think about this as well as the proposals regarding this. In short, we have created unprecedentedly transparent conditions together with the fact we react to violations very harshly.

We have tied up almost all the loose ends of the past campaign. There are very few loop holes left. I believe that we will complete this process soon, and then it will be the turn of the law enforcement agencies. We would like the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee to wrap up some cases.

Vladimir Putin:

The necessary instructions will be issued.

Ella Pamfilova:

Yes, we do hope so.

We will double the number of data processing systems. At present, there are only about 5,000, or more precisely 5,700 of such systems around the country. These are much-needed systems. We have launched the process of increasing their number and will double it in time for the presidential campaign. Since Moscow and the Moscow Region buy their own data processing systems, we expect to have 12,000 systems, which is 2.5 times more than at the moment. We will continue to increase this number with every passing year, because this modern equipment is trusted by the people.

Vladimir Putin:

It also helps improve the quality.

Ella Pamfilova:

Yes, it does.

As for the human factor, I want to say that the general mood has changed. People know what to do if an administrator misbehaves… But the lower the level of elections, the more violations are reported and the more people try to resolve their personal problems, which have little to do with nationwide problems. The members of our commissions at all levels know that if somebody attempts to put pressure on them or force them to take illegal action, they can resort to the new Criminal Code article that stipulates criminal punishment for this behavior, or they can appeal to the Central Election Commission or the Presidential Executive Office. They know that they will be protected, which has changed the mood.

I dream of a time when the best of the best will compete for seats on election commissions, when this will become a prestigious job, when people will be proud of being entrusted with this high public mission in the interests of the state and the people, proud of safeguarding the Constitution and the law. This mood is gaining a foothold now. The best part is that people will trust the quality of the commissions as well as those who sit on them. When this time comes, we will have no need for observers and monitoring and for observing the observers.

Vladimir Putin:

Ultimately, this amounts to trusting the authorities.

Ella Pamfilova:

Of course, I am not a magician, and it is obvious that these measures will take a very long time to implement. This is a system-wide process that will not bear fruit quickly. However, many things are changing already now, and we have seen the first results, which I have mentioned above.