At the National Congress of Municipalities of the Regions of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin said that despite the increased funds allocated to local budgets from the federal budget, the municipal authorities should look for ways to both increase the revenues of local budgets and to improve the quality of public services.
After having gone through a rather difficult consolidation phase, local self-government has already established itself as a serious resource for the country's future development. The President considers this to be compelling evidence in favour of the policy to increase the self-reliance and powers of the local authorities, a policy that rests on traditions that were but in place before the revolution in October 1917. Strengthening local self-government will make the country's entire system of governance much more effective.