Official website of the President of Russia

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V.Putin: Good afternoon,

We have just discussed with the Prime Minister the event that took place last week, the removal of Russia from the “black list” of the Financial Action Task Force. I want to note that this is, no doubt, the result of the coordinated work of the Government and the State Duma. We have not only adopted the whole package of relevant laws, but also set up a financial monitoring committee called “financial intelligence.” We have not just formally established it but set its mechanism into motion. This does not mean that we must tighten the screws in a particular way from now on. On the contrary, we must advance still further along the path of liberalisation in the monetary sphere. I want to stress the idea that I have voiced many times before: Russian citizens must enjoy the same rights as citizens of any other advanced country. At the same time, we must work for a greater transparency of the actions of citizens, legal entities and the state in the financial sphere. Our task is to become a member of this international organisation, where we are currently just an observer.