Putin urges regions and municipalities to join administrative reform

Vladimir Putin has urged regions and municipalities to join the administrative reform.

When speaking at a session of the Legislators' Council on Friday, the Russian president recalled that the administrative reform was actively proceeding at the federal level.

According to Mr. Putin, it should be joined in by regions and municipalities, and implemented in a sound and balanced manner.

"The first thing that should be done is a thorough analysis of public functions, the abolishment of the excessive ones, in particular those which bar citizens' economic activity, breed corruption and cause unnecessary state spending," the president said.

Vladimir Putin called for abolishing functions that bring no payback to citizens.

The president also said that delimitation of responsibility zones between the authorities did not mean that the federal government would provide financial and other resources in full.

"Each level of power should have its own clear-cut zone of responsibility and competence, and certainly, sufficient financial and other resources for applying authority at their level. It does not mean that the federal government will provide such resources in full," Mr. Putin told the legislators.

He is waiting for proposals of the Legislators' Council in the social sphere and on delimitation of authorities between different levels of power.

Mechanisms for providing social services to citizens should mainly rely on the economic potential of the regions, stressed the head of state.

"The available authority and responsibility of the regions and local self-government bodies, and also their economic base are fairly essential factors of development," said Mr. Putin.

According to the president, these factors should be used actively and correctly. "In particular, favorable conditions should be created for businessmen, for developing business and creative initiatives of citizens," he specified.

Moreover, Mr. Putin added that delimitation of powers in the regions was a huge and responsible effort. In his words, this work has already engaged presidential plenipotentiaries and their staff who have received relevant instructions. The president also asked the legislators to keep in touch with the plenipotentiaries.

The main issue on the agenda was the legal framework of power delimitation between federal, regional and municipal authorities.

The legislators are most of all concerned over the financial provision of the mandates entrusted to each level of power.