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It’s important for govt & UR to ensure transparency of Duma elections

Over the past years, the government “has done very great and sometimes difficult work,” Putin noted

NOVO-OGARYOVO, October 29 (Itar-Tass) — Prime Minister Vladimir Putin regards as a very important task “to ensure transparency” of the upcoming parliamentary elections. “The elections should be honest, open and free,” said the premier who handed over on Saturday certificates of candidates to the State Duma to some cabinet members.

Over the past years, the government “has done very great and sometimes difficult work,” Putin noted. “We have passed along with the country, our people and citizens a very difficult period of development of our state, connected with overcoming the crisis and with taking to the state development,” the premier emphasised.

“The government and the faction of United Russia at the State Duma have something to show the country”.

According to the cabinet head, “much of what has been done, has been done well and done in close cooperation and contact with our colleagues in the State Duma”. “Moreover, if there had not been a stable majority at the State Duma, it would have been highly improbable to resolve so quickly and very efficiently as we have done in the crisis period,” Putin said with confidence.

“That is why it is very important for our country to have an industrious and responsible Duma so that our country would preserve a professional parliament.”

At the same time, “despite the fact that much has been done, yet very many problems have been left unsettled”, admitted the premier, noting that “some things both the government and the State Duma could have done more effectively, could have acted quicker and more actively, could have minimised negative aftermaths of the self-same crisis or have taken such decisions which would promoted more efficiently the development of both the economy and the social sphere”.

In this connection, Putin believes that “all these things, both positive and our shortcomings should be explained and described people directly and honestly”. “This is extremely important,” he emphasised.

The premier presented certificates of candidates to the State Duma to vice-premiers Viktor Zubkov and Igor Shuvalov, vice-premiers Dmitry Kozak, Alexander Zhukov, Igor Sechin and Vyacheslav Volodin, Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev and Minister for Emergencies Sergei Shoigu.

“I wish you successes as well as to the entire United Russia Party at the upcoming general elections on December 4,” the premier said.

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