OREANDA-NEWS. May 13, 2011. Dmitry Medvedev discussed the development of Russia’s political system with young parliamentary deputies.

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PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I wish you all welcome.

It is a real pleasure to have this chance to meet today with young deputies representing our various political parties in the regional parliaments.

It is symbolic that we are meeting here in Kostroma, a beautiful and ancient Russian city, a city with its difficulties and problems, like all of our country. This meeting is important because it is quite a while since I have had the chance to talk with representatives of the regional parliaments, and with young deputies what’s more.

You are the most energetic in promoting your parties’ lines and views in the regional parliaments. Each of you defends your party’s positions and the interests of your voters. Each of you does this in your own way, using your own political rhetoric, but I am sure that all of you are effective, because otherwise you would probably not be sitting here today.

I am very interested to have this chance to exchange views with you on our political system’s development. I think we have succeeded in optimising our system a bit over these last few years. I am never under the illusion that we now have a fully regulated and effectively functioning mechanism in place. No, of course there is still work to do. But I do think we have improved the system’s quality, and the consultations that have taken place at various levels have contributed greatly to this process.

I meet regularly with the leaders of all the parties represented in the parliament, with the leaders of their factions in the State Duma. These are informal discussions at which the leaders of the various parties you represent tell me about the changes they think are needed in the country’s life in general, in the economy, and of course, the adjustments they would like to see made to the country’s political system. Some of the proposals sound rather radical at first, but upon reflection, my colleagues and I come round to the conclusion that these are actually interesting ideas, and they subsequently gain concrete form as presidential legislative initiatives or become implemented in practice through other means.

I think these meetings have helped us over the last few years to improve the quality of Russia’s parliamentary system. This does not mean, as I said, that everything is perfect and complete. We are still in the process of fine-tuning the system. I would say that what we have at the moment is a political system and degree of parliamentary development that corresponds to our society’s level of development. Our parliamentary system is neither better nor worse in its level of development than our society in general and its level of preparedness.

It is essential to think about the future, and the future is in your hands of course, because you are still young, but have already achieved much in life, becoming elected to regional parliaments, showing that you know how to defend your positions with solid arguments and firm conviction, and that, when your views go unheeded, you know how to use other methods of political work in accordance with the law.

I want to discuss with you today the outlines of our political system’s development. This is particularly important with the two big political events ahead: the State Duma elections and the presidential elections that will follow.

We continue to develop the political system. New rules are in place now in your parliaments, in the regions’ legislative assemblies, that will help us to develop and make full use of their potential.

I am referring to the reports governors are now required to make before the regional parliaments, the chance for parties that have received more than 5 percent of votes to obtain seats in regional parliaments, the general opportunities regarding access to state-owned mass media, and various other opportunities. 

I just visited the regional election commission, which is a very important organisation in any region, as its work is crucial in ensuring quality representation in the parliaments. The regional election commissions are responsible for putting in place the necessary procedures and ensuring compliance with election legislation.

Our political system is already part way along its development road – we have been working on it for two decades now – but we are nonetheless still only at the start of the journey, and it is important to remember this. 

This is why it is so important for the president to meet with parliamentary party leaders and deputies, not only at federal level, not only in Moscow, but in the regions too. I hope that today’s meeting will be one of the important events that help us in our efforts to build a modern political system in Russia.

I will stop here for now and listen to what you, the representatives of the various political parties, have to say, and then, if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.