Medvedev awarded state decorations in Nizhny Novgorod

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the city of Nizhny Novgorod and had a meeting with the governor of the region, Valery Shantsev. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also arrived in the city to take part in the celebrations of the Day of the National Unity, which Russia celebrated over the weekend.

Medvedev congratulated the city residents on the Day of the National Unity. When speaking to the governor, the president wondered what the regional authorities had done for the holiday. Valery Shantsev said that there were several new objects opened in the city prior to the holiday. For example, the authorities launched the expanded highway, which cost the region 15 million rubles and 15 months of work, Nizhny Novgorod news agency reports.

The first subway station in the upland part of the city is to be launched in 12 months, the governor said. According to Shantsev, the construction will cost approximately 20 billion rubles. The governor thanked the Russian administration for the financial support and promised that there would be 15 subway stations built in the upper part of the city.

"I hope that we will participate in the opening of the new station soon, in a year," Dmitry Medvedev said.

After the meeting with the governor, Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin laid bouquets of red roses to the monument of Minin and Pozharsky on National Unity Square.

Afterwards, the president, the prime minister and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, who also came to Nizhny Novgorod, proceeded to the Nizhny Novgorod Fair for the state reception in honor of the Day of the National Unity.

"We have been strengthening the civil society now, trying to make social policies truly efficient. We can accomplish this and many other goals only under the conditions of normal life, relying on civil peace and our spiritual traditions," the head of state said.

The president and the prime minister took part in the traditional ceremony to award state decorations - the Order of Friendship and Pushkin's medals. It is the first time when the ceremony took place out of Moscow. The ceremony was held in the Hall of the Coat of Arms of the Fair. The decorations were awarded to eleven people, including Estonian pop singer Anne Veski.