* * *
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening, colleagues,
Mr Medvedev and I have asked everyone to get together today, including the former ministers, some of whom have moved to the Presidential Executive Office today, and the newly appointed top officials of the Russian Federation.
By holding such a meeting we would like to emphasise that many of you know each other well and have been working together for many years, while some of you are new. In recent years, and I don’t just mean the past four years but the period before that as well, we have been able to build team spirit and work together in the interests of the country and its development.
Mr Medvedev and I would very much like to see that team spirit preserved. Each of you has your own job, I want to stress this, your own sphere, but we believe that the people who have gathered here are all experienced, friendly and considerate towards each other and, sharing a high sense of responsibility for the job you have been entrusted, and each of you is entitled to feel your colleagues’ support and know that they have your back. We want to make sure that you are all set to start joint, productive and efficient efforts in the interests of Russia.
Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: I can only express my support for what Mr Putin has said. I would like to address all of you present here to say again that we have been working together for many years in different positions. All of us here truly are colleagues and friends in every sense of the word.
Now that Russia has embarked on a new stage in its political life, the President has taken office and the Government has been formed, it is particularly important for us to preserve the special team spirit that we have built over the past 12 years. That is a highly valuable resource that is there for all of us to use to ensure the sustainable development of our country and to tackle the challenges facing the President, the Government and other state bodies. We must continue working as we always did, like comrades who enjoy their work and the results that I hope we will achieve.
<…>