Mr Merkushkin briefed the President on forest fire prevention measures being taken in the region. Implementation of the President’s initiative to decentralise some federal powers to the regional level was also discussed.

Dmitry Medvedev met with SME managers from Zarechny in Penza Region and discussed problems faced by entrepreneurs in the region.

Dmitry Medvedev and President of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey took part in the ceremony inaugurating the new Shchurovsky Cement Plant in Moscow Region. The plant is owned by Swiss Holcim Group, and around 500 million euros were invested in its modernisation.

Dmitry Medvedev signed Federal Law On Amendments to the Federal Law on Traffic Safety and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation.

Sergei Sobyanin and Boris Gromov presented to Dmitry Medvedev their proposals on changing the borders between Moscow and Moscow Region in order to better develop the capital and the surrounding region.

Dmitry Kozak and Alexander Khloponin briefed Dmitry Medvedev on the state of progress in implementing the President’s initiative to transfer some federal powers to the regional authorities.

The meeting, which took place in videoconference format, discussed the state of progress in implementing presidential instructions, including on renovating and developing the network of pre-school establishments, provision of land for large families, introducing a regional maternity capital in order to support young families, and establishing presidential cadet corps in all federal districts by 2014.

The republic's socioeconomic and labour market situation were the subjects of discussion.

Dmitry Medvedev chaired a meeting of the Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria.

Dmitry Medvedev approved a list of instructions that follow from the results of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 16–18, 2011.

The region’s social and economic development, preparations for the APEC Summit, and developing the Far Eastern Federal University were the main subjects on the agenda.

Dmitry Medvedev visited the Komandor border patrol vessel, aboard which he had a meeting with Vladimir Pronichev on improving coastal security, in particular during the 2012 APEC Summit, as well as on anti-poaching efforts in the Far East

The possibility of nominating Valentina Matviyenko to the post of Federation Council Speaker was discussed.

Dmitry Medvedev signed the Order On Preparing Suggestions for Redistributing Powers Between Federal Executive Authorities, Regional Executive Authorities of the Russian Federation and Local Self-Government.

Mr Minnikhanov’s involvement with the process of transferring certain powers from the federal to the regional authorities was the subject of discussion.

The meeting discussed decentralisation initiatives that would transfer some of the federal government’s powers to regional level.