President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,
Allow me to once again congratulate you on your appointment to top government positions and wish you success in the forthcoming work. You have joined the Russian Government, which faces not only complicated but also extremely responsible tasks.
These are targets of a new level. The viability of our nation, the energy of its progress, its future – I am not exaggerating – depend on achieving them.
I am confident that you are fully aware of the scale and content of these breakthrough tasks, that each of you, the ministries’ teams that are being formed, and the Government as a whole will work dynamically, meticulously, closely together, and with the utmost dedication.
The Government must promptly draft and approve the main guidelines for its activities and key projects in accordance with the May 2018 Executive Order On National Goals and Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation through to 2014. These goals and tasks, their concrete targets, as you saw for yourselves, require a similarly clear and understandable mechanism for their implementation, including the provision of resources.
This large, fundamental volume of work must be completed by October 1, 2018. I discussed this with Mr Medvedev a number of times recently.
Let me stress that this stage will directly impact how successful and fruitful our further progress will be. So there can be no excuses that some kind of circumstances prevented you from doing this work with high quality, at the due level and on schedule.
You must show initiative, find unconventional approaches, and establish a modern governance style. Key issues of Russia’s breakthrough development will be resolved here, in the Government; measures will be taken that the time and our strategic goals demand.
It is the place for the “engine,” the driver for innovation and change in all areas of our life, and the whole nation should feel the beat, the energy of your work.
It is absolutely crucial to ensure proper coordination with regional management teams. I ask you to constantly pay close attention to that since we know perfectly well that all our plans will be materialised in the regions.
You must also show an example of constructive cooperation with civil society entities, political parties, including the Russian Popular Front as one of the largest public organisations. Its activists have a great deal of experience in monitoring the execution of the May 2012 Executive Orders. I am confident that such practice of civil, public monitoring and control should go on.
The Government and the ministries must be committed to maximum openness and an ongoing dialogue with the public. You must explain all your actions. This will largely contribute to the success of the Government.
We must engage more citizens in the implementation of development tasks, encourage their drive to attain the goals we need. In a word, you have big, substantial and very interesting work ahead.
I wish you strength, energy and the best of health – so that there is enough of it for this large-scale work – and success.
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