Addressing the meeting, President Putin said problems of the socio-economic development of the Komi-Permyatsky Region had to be solved jointly by the federal centre and the regional authorities.
He also stressed that the federal centre was ready to render the necessary assistance for the region’s ethnic and cultural development.
The President also discussed merging the Komi-Permyatsky and Perm regions. He stressed the initiative had come from the regions themselves, and its purpose was to widen the scope for the economic and social development of the territory and make regional or local government more effective. Ultimately, he said, it all must lead to addressing the main problem, increasing the people’s standard of living.
Ahead of a referendum, he said, it was necessary to regularly, timely and fully inform the local residents of the ongoing processes. Mr Putin said it was important that every citizen had the complete information and could make an informed choice.