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Progress on implementing socially significant laws and the May executive orders, as well as proposals on improving legislation, were discussed.

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Speech at a meeting with United Russia parliamentary party and experts

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Medvedev, colleagues, good afternoon,

Twelve days are left before Election Day. This is not much. During this time you have visited regions, met people in working collectives, talked directly to people. In short, a lot of work has been done, as it should be, it’s certainly useful.

The election campaign is drawing to an end. It is called an election campaign precisely because elections are just around the corner and the elector is at the centre of this process. That is to say, at the centre of this process is not the one who is being elected but the one who is electing. These people should be constantly in the focus of our attention, on our radar: in the course of election campaigns and especially after they are over.

In this context I would like to say that there will never be and should never be interesting or uninteresting, important or secondary subjects in your work, in our common work. Everything matters to a particular Russian citizen. Everything is important: foreign policy issues, defence and security, housing maintenance and utilities, healthcare, education and social issues in general. Everything is important. Everything is important that matters in the life of every Russian family, every Russian, every Russian citizen.

It is very important in the future to bring together people who want to work constructively in the future State Duma, regardless of whether they have entered parliament from single-seat constituencies or on party lists. It is important to find like-minded people and bring them together with the common task of ensuring our economic and social development and working for the public good in the broadest sense of the word.

I believe it was very useful for you, as you travelled in the regions and met with people, to see how the decisions that were made recently are really working, to analyse the so-called law enforcement practice and get feedback. If you consider it expedient, and I personally can see that certain things need amending and adjusting, you should take the matter to the State Duma without delay. All these problems should be formulated and addressed. In short, there is plenty of work to be done but the main, the most important stage lies ahead.

There is another thing I would like to talk about. Actually it is self-evident but it is extremely important and should never be forgotten. People’s trust is paramount. To create trust, it is important to know people’s daily concerns and it is necessary, without any fear, to tell the truth about the situation in reality and about what you propose doing to deal with the problems facing the country.

First of all, even if they do not have detailed knowledge about a certain problem, our people often can sense in their hearts what is true and what is false, what is an empty promise and what is the genuine wish and desire of a particular person, in this case a would-be deputy, to change the situation for the better and effectively resolve a particular problem. People can sense this immediately. Falsehood never gets by undetected. And if, based on this work with people, you achieve the main objective, if you win people’s trust, then you will proceed to the next, no less important task: this trust should be justified with substantive, consistent, daily work.

Let’s talk about the problems that you consider important, problems that you have identified – those who were already State Duma deputies or are in the process of working with people in the regions now.

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I would like to wish all of you success in the forthcoming final, and probably most important, stage of the election campaign. And I hope that the core of your team will remain in the next Russian parliament so that together we can move forward and address all the necessary tasks that you have been discussing with people over the past few weeks and months.

All the best, thank you.