TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with leaders of parties that gained State Duma seats following elections

(Kremlin.ru – September 23, 2016)

Vladimir Putin met with leaders of political parties that gained seats in the State Duma based on election results.

The President congratulated meeting participants on winning the State Duma elections. Mr Putin also asked the 7th State Duma deputies to support Vyacheslav Volodin as a candidate for State Duma Speaker.

Yesterday State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin was appointed Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

The results of the elections held on September 18 have been officially announced. I have just had a meeting with members of the Central Election Commission, and we talked about it and confirmed once again that the election had been held in accordance with all the legal requirements.

Russian citizens have determined the new composition of the Russian parliament by a direct, free expression of their will. I must add that parliamentary parties have once again reaffirmed their high standing, and showed that they play a system-shaping role in the political setup of our country and enjoy the support and trust of the voters, of the citizens.

Success in the election, as you well know, is always a new challenge, a new milestone, because people have their expectations from the election, and we have to work to justify these expectations. Parliament is elected to address national issues, issues that voters raise for various government bodies to address, including for the supreme legislative body. Here a direct, open and honest dialogue with citizens is crucial; we have repeatedly talked about it before.

The election was based on a mixed system that you had unanimously supported – half of the deputies are elected to parliament from single-mandate constituencies. This means a closer and more reliable connection between the lower house, the State Duma, Russian regions and territories. I hope feedback will also be used more efficiently.

The mixed system enables parties to be represented in the State Duma on a broader basis. True, this is not a very significant amount, but still minor parties now have people who can use the public rostrum of the State Duma to formulate and defend their position. And this is also an indication of greater political and party competition.

The United Russia party has won the majority in the new State Duma. It will bear responsibility for both the quality of the law-making efforts and also a constructive dialogue with other parties represented in the Russian parliament. I hope this work will be based on a consistent and respectful attitude to the parliamentary minority.

Although this is a matter for parliament and the United Russia party, I believe it expedient to keep the seat distribution in the major committees as it was in the previous Duma, even though United Russia has received many mandates this time. I think this would contribute to more constructive work with all the parties represented in parliament.

Approving the budget is a priority for the State Duma. I expect that the parliamentarians will promptly become involved in this work. We do this every day – the day before yesterday and yesterday, when we finished around 10 pm.

That work is difficult and you know this well; many of you have become professional financiers, representatives of [the Government’s] social cluster. This is why I urge you to join the efforts without delay. And from the very beginning, please establish close, meaningful and constructive cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation.

Let me add that the State Duma has numerous new members. I hope, however, that the continuity will be assured. Primarily this has to do with being consolidated to address the key national development tasks and be ready to put aside inter-party differences, which are inevitable, of course, but still should be pushed into the background in discussions of the key issues so as to achieve common goals in the interests of society and national development. I am confident that the new composition of the deputy corps is fully prepared for serious and responsible work.

Next there is a personnel issue. You know that yesterday I offered Sergei Naryshkin the post of head of one of the most serious organisations in the state system, in the state machinery, the Foreign Intelligence Service. He accepted the offer and therefore will be unable to continue his work as a State Duma deputy and Parliament Speaker.

This brings to the fore the need to elect a new State Duma speaker. This issue is certainly within the exclusive purview of the deputy corps, but Mr Medvedev and I will ask [them] (United Russia at any rate) to support the candidacy of Vyacheslav Volodin. I would like to inform you about this, if you as the faction leaders will think it possible, accordingly, to respond to this in a consolidated manned.

Mr Volodin knows what parliamentary work is; he was a deputy himself for a long time, and while on the Presidential Executive Office he maintained direct contacts with the deputy corps, the faction leaders and with the parties. This was part of his professional duties. I hope all of this will help him to manage the work in the lower house of Parliament. If, of course, the deputies adopt a relevant decision.

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