On April 27, which marks the Day of Russian Parliamentarianism, the President will meet with members of the Federal Assembly Council of Legislators. Those taking part in the meeting will include Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, the heads of regional legislative assemblies and representatives of the executive authorities and public organisations. The meeting will examine matters concerning the state authorities’ efforts to overcome the economic crisis, the drafting of a report on the state of Russian legislation in 2015, and the draft law On the Russian Federation Civic Chamber.
On the same day, Mr Putin will take part in a meeting of the Russian Geographical Society Board of Trustees. The Russian Geographical Society is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year and the meeting will review the Society’s work in 2014 and present the most impressive projects for 2015. The President will present certificates for the award of grants for 2015.
Mr Putin will take the opportunity during the visit to inspect the new buildings of St Petersburg State University’s Graduate School of Management and meet with the school’s students.
On April 28, the President will take part in the Truth and Justice Second Media Forum of Independent Local and Regional Media, organised by the Russian Popular Front. The Forum, which is taking place in St Petersburg on April 25–28, examines the most acute problems in the regions and professional issues concerning development of independent journalism in Russia. More than 350 people are taking part, including journalists who won the Truth and Justice Fund’s competition, bloggers, State Duma deputies, the heads of relevant ministries and agencies, and the heads of federal media outlets.
The President will also visit the 3-D panorama Battle for Berlin: The Flag Bearers’ Feat. This project was completed in the run-up to the 70th anniversary of victory in the 1941–1945 Great Patriotic War and makes a logical continuation to Russia’s first 3D panorama, Breakthrough, on display at the Breaking the Siege of Leningrad museum and park in the Leningrad Region town of Kirovsk.