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Direct elections of heads of regions were held in 21 regions. In three regions, the heads of regions were elected by legislative bodies.

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Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

I would like to begin by congratulating you on being elected as heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The level of support you received both during direct voting and in regional legislative assemblies shows the high level of trust the voters have placed in you. It shows that people in the regions see the results of your work and associate with you their hopes for even more positive changes to come.

Importantly, both the incumbent leaders and those who took office not long ago and served as acting heads in the run-up to the elections have won by a landslide.

The elections were open and competitive. Particularly notable is the fact that we saw the highest turnout ever in the history of the single voting day.

Our people understand the importance of participating in the life of the country and in the formation of government bodies of different levels. The modern-day organisation of elections and the use of digital technologies have made voting a user-friendly process.

I would like to specifically thank voters who live in the border regions. Despite the difficulties, pressure, and the attempts to destabilise the situation, as well as the terrorist attacks in these territories, people came to the voting stations in a show of unity and consolidation. Your courage and strength invoke respect. Once again, thank you for your position.

Here is what I would like to emphasise in this regard. People living in the border regions have been confronted with major challenges. The federal, regional, and local authorities must be particularly mindful of their needs and requests. All issues must be solved swiftly and without undue red tape as soon as they emerge.

Of course, as I said earlier, protecting the people is the sacred duty of the Armed Forces.

Once again, colleagues, the wide participation of our citizens in the elections shows they are aware of their own responsibility for the future of the country, especially now, at this point of inflection which will determine the future of our country.

The society’s demands to the authorities, including regional ones, are justly growing, too. People expect you to work selflessly in the interests of the country and its citizens, be ready for an open, honest, and constant dialogue with people, unconditionally fulfill all your responsibilities and undertake actions tailored for the socioeconomic development of regions and improvement of the quality of life.

Today, new national projects – the main mechanisms used to achieve large strategic goals we have set – are being shaped. Their success will largely depend on how the work in the regions is organised.

The invested resources must be as useful for people as much as possible. Of course, I expect that you will personally control all issues related to the implementation of the national projects and act in close coordination with the Government and federal authorities.

Let me stress that this means comprehensive development, when economic growth tasks are being addressed together with creating favourable and up-to-date conditions for the life of people and families with children. I mean education, healthcare, and upgrades of social, transport, and housing infrastructure; a comfortable environment in cities and villages, and, of course, broad possibilities for personal fulfilment of people living there.

It is important to support successful entrepreneurial initiatives where necessary, including high-tech ones, help scale them up, exchange best practices with other regions, create opportunities for opening new production facilities and upgrading existing ones, and overall tapping the scientific and technological potential of the regions thereby promoting their human resources, too.

As I have already said, our economy is tasked with becoming an economy of qualified personnel and high wages and getting necessary advanced solutions to strengthen our sovereignty.

Of course, each region’s contribution to the common cause, the common victory, the support of our heroes, who don’t spare themselves as they fight for Russia during the special military operation, is of huge importance.

These are issues related to the provision of the military-industrial complex, and, let me stress this, comprehensive assistance to our military personnel, veterans of military operations, and their family members. This is our common and your personal responsibility as regional leaders, and our civic and moral duty.

You are very well aware at what time in history we are living and what tasks the country is now facing. In order to resolve them and achieve our goals, we must work with absolute dedication, in a coordinated and united manner, to protect the interests of people and the interests of the country each in our own place, and justify people’s trust with specific results.

I wish you and your management teams fruitful work.

Colleagues, once again congratulations on the results of the elections. If you need to discuss anything with me, you are welcome. If there are no urgent matters, we will meet routinely and discuss all the problems that are of concern to you. However, let me repeat that you can use today’s occasion to discuss anything if you need.

Please.

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Vladimir Putin: <…>

Once again, colleagues, congratulations on being elected. I wish you success.

I would like to repeat what I said in my welcoming remarks. You understand what responsibility for people lies on your shoulders. I hope that your work will be effective, that you will approach it with all your heart and soul, understanding that the lives and quality of life of millions of our fellow citizens depend on your actions, on your work, on its quality. They elected you so that you could work effectively for the interests of our common great homeland and those regions, and for the sake of the people living in the regions where you have been given the great honour of working as heads of regions of the Russian Federation.

I wish you all the best.

Thank you.