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The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

Here’s what I would like to begin with. As you know, my Executive Order extends the special precautionary measures in Russia until the end of April, quarantine measures are in place, and this is necessary in order to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. This is what the experts believe, and, of course, we are listening and will continue listening to them. We will base our work on the fact that the life and health of Russia’s citizens are our top priority.

You also know that in line with the Presidential Executive Order, the ministries, agencies and enterprises ensuring the vital functions of our country continue to work. This certainly includes your ministries and agencies. I would like to thank you and your staff for all the work you have been doing in today’s difficult conditions and express hope that order and security of Russia will be ensured.

Governors and heads of regions have special responsibility today. You know that, in line with my Executive Order, they have been given additional powers, so I am asking you – and please tell this to your personnel, including in the Russian regions – that the governors must have full support. You have vast administrative and information resources, which must all be aimed at supporting the heads of the Russian regions.

Today, when we continue combating the coronavirus infection, the regions will have a significant part of the load, and it is very important for us to ensure interaction between all the levels of government: municipal, regional and federal.

Obviously, it is impractical to restrict economic activities and close enterprises and institutions, in a uniform manner, painting everything with the same brush throughout the country.

Today I spoke with several regional heads, with governors, to understand the situation on the ground. For example, thank goodness, no cases of the coronavirus infection have been registered so far in the Republic of Altai. The question is: should all the institutions and enterprises there be closed under the instruction from Moscow?

There are many such situations in the country. We have many small settlements, rural towns, villages and small cities. The situation is different everywhere. The economy is already in a difficult condition. Therefore, no general instructions that undermine economic activity should be given.

I am sure that we have taken the absolutely right path. But it is necessary to help both the federal authorities, regional authorities, and municipal authorities, primarily in establishing this interaction between them.

Today, the interaction between different levels of governance is one of our priorities. And I would ask you to get down to work, fully understanding this.

Let us continue our meeting today in a closed format.

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