Greetings to 6th Congress of Russian Local Government Council 2017-12-25 13:30:00 Vladimir Putin sent greetings to the participants in the 6th Congress of the Russian Local Government Council. The message reads, in part: “It is good to see your authoritative organisation, which unites heads of municipalities, deputies and representatives of the expert community, strengthen its potential every year, and today it operates in almost all of the country’s regions. I would like to emphasise that the development of local government and boosting its financial independence and resources is a priority for the state. Local government bodies play the key role in solving the most important and pressing issues that determine the quality of life, such as the improvement of social infrastructure and improvement of territories as well as ensuring order in housing and utilities. Of course, it is also necessary to involve more citizens in it, especially young people, and encourage public initiatives.”