Meeting with members of the Council of Legislators

The event took place in the Tauride Palace in St Petersburg. Before it began, the President viewed an exhibition of historical documents dedicated to the 120^th anniversary of Russian parliamentarism. The exhibition included the manifestos on the establishment of the State Duma and the reform of the State Council, the text of Emperor Nicholas II's speech delivered on April 27, 1906, and the minutes of the first State Duma meetings. The President was accompanied by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko Matviyenko ValentinaChairwoman of the Council of Federation , with explanations provided by Head of the Federal Archive Agency Andrei Artizov.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, friends,

I would like to congratulate all our legislators on the Day of Russian Parliamentarism.

Today marks a landmark historical event: the 120^th anniversary of the Russian parliament. It was in this hall that the State Duma held its first meeting on April 27, 1906. At that time, the establishment of that body and elections to it became events of immense public and state significance. Many welcomed them as a new era in the development of the country and pinned their hopes for large-scale reforms in Russia on it.

Sergei Muromtsev, the first chairman of the State Duma, called on the members of parliament to perform a great mission and to accomplish heroic feats for the benefit of the people who elected them, and for the good of the Motherland. A year later, in 1907, Pyotr Stolypin said in his address to the State Duma that the Fatherland should become a state ruled by law. However, a decade later, the October Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War dramatically changed the fate of our country and of the millions of our compatriots.

There are different views on the inevitability of that dramatic shift and the role played in it by individual Duma deputies and politicians. Overall, I would like to emphasise that the experience of the first Russian parliamentarians deserves our respect, gratitude, and scientific, political and philosophical study and assessment.

Many of your predecessors sincerely believed in the power of their patriotic beliefs, faithfully served the Fatherland, actively and passionately championed the interests of the people, and worked for the wellbeing of the Motherland.

These include members of the State Council of the Russian Empire, which was reformed 120 years ago to become a partially elected body with legislative powers. The State Duma and the State Council were declared the highest bodies of government authority and were to work together.

In fact, this is how the first model of a bicameral parliamentary system emerged. Today, it operates effectively within the constitutional framework, playing an important role in a vast, multi-ethnic country with numerous religious denominations.

Russia's regional parliaments across the country are making an immense contribution to developing Russia and making it stronger. Their speakers work together with senior officials from both chambers, as well as chairs of the Federal Assembly committees, within the Council of Legislators.

I would like to thank all of you and your colleagues for the meaningful and important contribution to achieving the national development goals and overcoming the challenges we face.

As I have already noted, our political system, all branches and levels of power, including parliamentary institutions, have a proven track record of resilience and sustainability, enjoy genuine sovereignty and are ready to stand up for our Fatherland's vital interests. Our people responded to attempts to pressure and threaten Russia, as well as aggressive attacks against it, by demonstrating their unity and firmness, while the state responded by taking swift action, including at the legislative level. This is very important. I would like to thank State Duma deputies, the Federation Council members, and also parliamentarians in the regions for this proactive political stance and for the high standard of professionalism. The parliamentarians have created their own front in the resistance effort, fighting for Russia, its security and its future.

If anyone thinks that a multi-party democracy, with its diversity of positions and approaches, and competition, exposes our vulnerability and offers a path to driving us apart and spreading social discord, they are wrong. They simply ignore what Russia represents and fail not understand it or its people. For us, love for our Motherland and resolve to defend it come above all else. This is the essence and the historical principle of a sovereignty-centred outlook. It is where our strength lies. Without it, Russia cannot exist.

There is a sense of solidarity on key and defining matters among all parliamentary parties. They share the same vision. The parliament has been working closely with the Government, the leading state corporations and smaller companies, business associations and patriotic forces in a coordinated manner. Having a common cause and addressing the most challenging tasks is what consolidates society and the nation as a whole.

This approach has manifested itself, above all, in efforts to support the special military operation and strengthen Russia's defence capability and security. Combatants, combat veterans and their families can now benefit from a wider range of social guarantees. In the past year alone, new laws were enacted on free education, loan repayment breaks, and the abolition of several duties and taxes, while also making social programmes more accessible, including support for starting a business after retiring from the military.

It goes without saying that this must be a continuous and unrelenting effort. Of course, we know well that there are still quite a few challenges and shortcomings. There are many of them, and you know this. We must always focus on helping people and offer them additional support.

Let me be clear: you are not only the legislative authority but also the representative body of the people. When you pass laws, you have a duty to oversee their implementation. To do this effectively, you must stay in constant touch with the public, listen to and respect their views, and take real-life situations into account, even those that may seem mundane, so that laws are closely aligned with everyday reality. You must also take responsibility and make decisions more swiftly in the interests of the people.

I believe you will agree that this should be the guiding principle of your work across all strategically important areas: demographic, social, and migration policy, healthcare, education, the environment, culture, and all priority issues reflected in national projects and long-term plans. Legislative support for these efforts must be continuous.

A separate task is to support the country's regions, ensuring their fiscal sustainability and access to sufficient resources for growth.

As you know, a decision was previously made to write off two-thirds of the constituent entities' debt on budget loans. This write-off is conditional on the freed-up funds being used for investment and other significant purposes. We are talking about a total of over one trillion rubles for the period up to 2030. Let me repeat: two-thirds of the budget loan debt is being written off. The regions are repaying the remaining debt diligently and on time. This year, that comes to approximately 100 billion rubles. But for many regions, even this current burden remains quite high - and we are aware of that.

The United Russia party has put forward an initiative to defer the repayment of regions' federal budget loans from 2026 to a later date. Let us do just that. I ask the Government, deputies and senators to implement this decision without delay.

I also ask you to support the Government's efforts and submit your proposals for incentivising economic growth, with a view to achieving sustainable, higher rates of growth. A solid legal foundation is needed for sectors aimed at advanced technological leadership and for the comprehensive development of Russia's territories. Systemic legislative decisions in this area are already being taken - for example, on the implementation of platform economy elements, the circulation of the digital ruble, and support for creative industries.

On the agenda are the first outlines of a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence. Drawing on international experience, we must find our own optimal and balanced model for regulating these technologies, which are transforming the entire world.

Overall, the legislative process must be systemic and - I would add - creative. It should not be aimed solely at adapting to current challenges and risks (which are undoubtedly unprecedented at times and require appropriate responses), nor should it focus exclusively on bans, restrictions, or punitive measures, such as introducing new penalties for offenders. While protecting consumer interests in every sense of the word is necessary, focusing solely on this is counterproductive. Excessive barriers hinder development. These are all temporary, passing phenomena, while Russia is eternal. Our legislation must be flexible, dynamic, progressive, and forward-looking.

We all - legislative and executive bodies - must always think about tomorrow, see beyond the horizon and develop legislative norms that support constructive development, drive this development, and promote conditions for creativity, helping talented people to realise their potential and contribute to the country, and moving society, the state, science and the economy forward and only forward. I am confident that Russian lawmakers will do exactly that.

Colleagues,

The election to the ninth convocation of the State Duma is scheduled for this year. I will point out two key things in this regard - at least two.

First, the election campaign and sometimes intense competition among candidates and parties must not affect your consistent professional legislative work - both at the centre, in the regions, and locally. The Parliament is a government body, and the public expects that the government will serve honestly and produce results.

Second, the election campaign must be conducted in strict accordance with the law, to ensure that its results are transparent, trustworthy and, unquestionably legitimate, reflecting the will of the people. This is always extremely important but - as I have said many times and will reiterate - in the current circumstances, this is particularly vital, as it provides a stable foundation for governance and for taking the necessary and timely decisions in the interests of our people.

For my part, I want to wish good luck to all future candidates at the federal and other levels, especially since some of them are certainly here today. I wish you success.

On the same note, I want to quote Alexander Solzhenitsyn and his remarks made at the State Duma in 1994. He said: power is not a catch for competing parties; it is not a reward, and it is not fuel for one's ego. Power is a heavy burden, a responsibility, an obligation and hard work. I think this quote is timely and very appropriate.

Once again, thank you for the work and for your support. Congratulations on the Parliamentarism Day. And of course, congratulations on the upcoming holiday, the Day of the Soviet People's Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Thank you very much.