President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the current situation in the regions you headed until recently. I would like to start by thanking you for the work you have done in your regions. Even though the number of years each of you served in this position is different, you all spent a substantial part of your life on this job.
Over these years, your regions underwent dramatic changes, and these changes were for the better. Of course, there are always problems in the regions, as well as on the national level. I know that despite the challenging economic situation, especially in the last two years, you have done your utmost to overcome these challenges with dignity, which enables your successors to further promote development. In fact, the main reason why I convened this meeting was because I wanted to tell you this.
Of course, I also would like to discuss with you the state of affairs in your regions, to hear your assessment of the issues the regions are facing, and the objectives your successors will have to deal with in the immediate future.
Rotation is a natural and self-evident process. I firmly believe that you will be able to make a difference in other positions. I will do my best to make sure that your experience and knowledge of a specific region and the country in general are put to effective use in the future.
I expect you to do your utmost to help your successors and support them in the position they are about to assume. I hope that they will also be successful in their efforts, just as you were, and that the people feel the positive effect in the near future. We all understand that it takes time for results to materialise, but this has been the purpose of our work and life for many years. I have no doubt that this will also be the case for your successors.
In any case, I hope that you will support them with your knowledge, experience and ideas on what should be done in the near future and how so as to maintain momentum in the development of the regions you used to govern.
Thank you once again.
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