Putin promises to accomplish administrative reform

President Vladimir Putin has promised to accomplish the administrative reform.

"The administrative reform has been started and we have to accomplish it in accordance with the set principles," the president said when speaking at the congress of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Russia (UIER).

According to Putin, the government and his office will have to work out and endorse standard functions for ministries, services and committees and to lay down standing orders with the clear-cut description of the document-movement procedure in the corridors of the executive. "It is no secret that this very stage often results in the revision of the reform's early goals and reduction of results to the null," said the president.

He also declared in favour of substantiating in terms of economics and politics every specific function of the branch of power which is not included into the list of basic, federal ones.

"Work is in full swing to optimise the structure and functions of the yet inefficient bureaucracy," said the president. "He accounted for this fact by the country's long life in conditions of planned economy.

"We realise what sentiments and resistance this reform is meeting on the part of bureaucrats who have got used to a non-specific interpretation of their powers," added Putin.

The head of state suggested that the delegates of the congress join the implementation of the administrative reform. He promised the UIER delegates that the government and presidential offices would compile mechanisms of their participation.