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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Zorkin, congratulations once again.

President of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin: Thank you very much and congratulations to you, Mr President. God willing, the Constitution will remain strong for a long time under its successful guarantor.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. Also with your active involvement, and so long as it is observed by all participants in relations governed by law.

It is the understanding of the Government, the Executive Office and everybody else that rulings of the Constitutional Court are not subject to discussion – they must be executed. For my part, I specifically encourage all my colleagues to proceed from this premise. It is how we will continue to work with the Constitutional Court.

I want to thank you for handling this work so constructively – based on principles but constructively.

I know that sometimes there may be complicated issues concerning interaction with executive authorities. But, in fact, that is the job of the Constitutional Court – to ensure that the country’s Basic law is observed.

We will continue working.

Valery Zorkin: Mr President, thank you very much.

Of course, I believe that we understand all the responsibility, including in the context of our own rulings. I think they would have no validity without a state based on the rule of law, a constitutional state where all government bodies know their role and interact with each other.

I can say with full confidence that they do interact. Of course, not all our rulings are popular, which is understandable. But I think that we did strive for the Constitution to be a force instead of it becoming a dead document.

To that end, the Constitution needs to be adapted to the times. When that cannot be done through interpretation alone, we obviously need amendments, as was done in 2020. I believe the constitutional reform you initiated (and with full responsibility on your part) reinvigorated the Constitution. So, may it have a long life, God willing.

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