At a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy Gianfranco Fini, President Vladimir Putin that in holding reforms in the political sphere and economic reforms, Russia will always be open and transparent.
After the collapse of the USSR, Russia has been looking for acceptable forms of organising society and state, based on its traditions, realities, enormous territories and large number of ethnic groups. But despite all these special features, Russia will remain within the framework of the existing Constitution and democratic principles.
Russia does not intend to do anything in the political sphere that would not be practiced in European countries or in the European Union as a whole, President Putin stressed.
Mr. Putin said that Russia treats comments from colleagues in the European Union calmly and sensibly, and is grateful for any interest and attention in what is happening in the country.