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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades,

Congratulations to all Russian prosecutors and former staff of prosecution authorities on your professional holiday, Prosecutor’s Office Workers Day.

For almost three centuries, prosecution authorities have been a tower of strength for our state, guarding the law and protecting society from arbitrariness and injustice. Serving the nation and our motherland remains the key principle for the office.

These days, the prosecutor’s office, being an integrated and centralised system, plays an essential role in ensuring the rights and freedoms of our citizens, and in overseeing timely and accurate compliance with the provisions of the Constitution and Russia’s laws. It is making a significant contribution to Russia’s development as a democratic law-governed state.

Your scope of work is always extensive. In 2020, prosecutors exposed over 3.5 million federal law violations. More than 820,000 submissions were made to remedy those violations. Almost 19,000 criminal cases were opened following inspection results. Behind every figure, there is restored truth and justice.

This year too, I expect to see remarkable performance. Some of your priority tasks are to expose and rectify violations of people’s social rights, especially the rights of the most vulnerable groups.

Last year, Russia faced a major coronavirus epidemic. In that extremely challenging situation, the state did everything to support the people, secure the economy, reinforce the public healthcare system, and took a whole range of other emergency measures. It is highly important that all the provided help reaches its recipients promptly and as intended, that healthcare workers, families with children and people out of work receive their financial support while small and medium-sized businesses and the self-employed can take advantage of their concessions in full, based on transparent and convenient rules.

Of course, we need to step up our efforts when it comes to combating extremism and crime, clamp down on corruption and misappropriation of state funds.

There are other areas that require utmost attention as well. They include supervisory support of national projects and environmental protection as well as ensuring that law is observed during the State Duma elections later this year.

In each particular case, it is necessary to demand complete restoration of the rule of law and restoration of rights. It is important to take a resolute and principled approach. You have enough authority and competence for that.

I should note that, considering that the prosecutor’s office performs the essential functions of ensuring the rights and legal interests of our citizens and the state, its constitutional and legal status was substantially upgraded last year. Among other duties, the prosecutor’s office received the authority to oversee compliance with the Constitution and the law; a new procedure for appointing senior officials of the prosecutor’s office was established; the guarantees of independence and transparency of the prosecution authorities were reinforced.

I am convinced that this innovation will help you solve problems more efficiently and work towards your ultimate goal, which is to ensure that our citizens feel secure and protected by law.

Comrades,

I want to thank Russia’s prosecutors for performing their duties in good faith, and for their high professionalism.

Once again, congratulations. I wish senior officials, current and former staff good health and success. Please pass my best wishes to your loved ones as well.