The new Federation Council managed to combine regional and state, national interests in its work, the President said.
The upper house of Parliament worked effectively, without delays or failures. Last year the senators not only adopted laws important for the country’s development, but also rejected proposals serving private interests and local considerations.
President Putin thanked the Federation Council members and regional legislatures for their work on harmonising the regional and federal legal base. Much has been done in this sphere, but the law-making process is constantly developing, and the correlation of acts adopted at the federal and regional levels needs regular control, the President said.
The head of state called upon the senators to turn their attention to law-enforcement implementation and thoroughly consider their decisions: the year 2003 will see State Duma elections and there is a danger that populist laws that have no financial support, may appear.