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The meeting was attended by the veterans and department heads from the Prosecutor General’s Office and regional prosecutors.

Vladimir Putin congratulated current workers and veterans of the Prosecution Service on their professional holiday, which is marked in Russia on January 12.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Chaika, colleagues,

I am happy to congratulate you on your professional holiday and the 295^th anniversary of the Russian Prosecution Service.

For nearly 300 years, this vital state institution has been safeguarding law and order and the legal foundations of our nation.

The service’s best workers remained loyal to their profession and served the country and the people with honour and dedication throughout the most difficult periods of our history.

Today the country and society need the Prosecution Service to work efficiently. The response of prosecutors at all levels to infringements on the law and human rights and freedoms must be prompt and effective. This alone will earn you the praise of those for whom all of us are working – the citizens of Russia.

You must remember that the Prosecution Service has been given a very broad authority to implement your professional duties. The status of your service is set forth in the Constitution, and the methods of the prosecutor’s oversight are sufficient not just for cutting violations short without delay but also for eradicating the grounds for them.

The Prosecution Service is playing a major role in nearly all spheres of life and in all areas of legal regulation.

It is important that the focus of your work has recently shifted to supervision of labour and social laws, including the payment of wages, pensions and benefits. I ask you to continue to monitor these issues especially closely.

You must give practical assistance to the socially vulnerable groups of population, including the elderly, people with disabilities and minors. Your assistance is invaluable in difficult situations, for example, in co-funded housing development and the protection of housing rights in general.

One of the topical issues is monitoring oversight bodies. Honest and transparent business must be safely protected by the state, including protection from unjustified inspections and other pressure.

In the past year, public prosecution bodies have detected over 150,000 violations related to state and municipal oversight of business. This area requires particular attention now and further on.

Another extremely important task is anti-corruption measures. I hope the Prosecutor General’s Office will be closely involved in improving the anti-corruption legislation.

The Prosecution Service must be constantly overseeing compliance with environmental laws and natural resource management. Prosecutors have initiated more than a thousand criminal cases on misappropriation of forest resources and fire safety violations in the forests alone.

The year 2017 has been proclaimed the Year of the Environment in Russia, and public prosecution bodies and other government authorities must work closer together on environmental issues in order to achieve new significant results.

And, of course, it is necessary to monitor the human rights situation with regard to individuals serving prison sentences. Penitentiary system standards fixed by law, inmates’ right to medical help and other rights must be observed without fail.

Colleagues, in the run-up to the anniversary, I outlined only some of the main areas of your expertise. You will discuss them in more detail at an annual extended board meeting. I believe that you will do your best to honourably fulfil your duties, strengthen the glorious traditions of the Russian prosecutor service, and contribute to solving strategic tasks for stronger and better Russia.

I congratulate you once again on the Prosecutor General’s Office Worker Day. I wish you good health and happiness to your families in 2017, and every success in your work.

Thank you for your attention.

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Vladimir Putin: Russian holidays are very long. First, we have the New Year, then Christmas and another tradition, the Old New Year. You also celebrate your professional day. Be careful. (The audience laughs)

But seriously, I sincerely wish you good luck and a productive year. A great deal depends on your work and you know it very well.

It is no coincidence that the Prosecution Service was established in our country. We have created our own prosecution service traditions and this institution holds a special place in the government system. I do not have to explain this to this audience, as you all know it quite well. You carry a huge responsibility, which itself means that the Prosecution Service must set an example of honest and faithful service.

Happy holiday and all the very best!