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Medvedev, Putin join May Day rallies in central Moscow

The president and prime minister, as well as Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin headed a column of demonstrators in Mokhovaya Street in downtown Moscow

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, May 1 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President-elect, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who on Tuesday took part in a May Day demonstration at the end of the procession talked to the Muscovites who also came to attend the festive event.

The president and prime minister, as well as Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin headed a column of demonstrators in Mokhovaya Street in downtown Moscow.

During the procession Putin and Medvedev talked to the action participants. Many of the demonstrators carried banners with slogans, reading, in particular, ‘We are the Power!’ There were also slogans such as ‘Putin! Medvedev! Come on, Russia!’, ‘Working People for Putin and Medvedev,’ ‘Spring has Come - the Swamp Dried Up.’

The procession was accompanied by drumbeat and patriotic songs.

The president and prime minister congratulated the citizens on Spring and Labour Day.

The demonstrators for their part wished the country’s leaders success in their work.

A woman who talked to Medvedev and Putin asked them how they manage to stay in such a good physical shape with their busy work schedule.

“It’s necessary to work more!” Putin replied.

One of the demonstrators asked the president whether it is possible to return the students’ distribution system for students of state-financed departments.

Medvedev promised to think over the matter. “It’s certainly impossible to return the past system,” he said. He suggested, however, that the distribution opportunity could be envisaged for excellent students learning on state-financed departments and could be fixed in the contract.

Having talked with the demonstrators for about 10 minutes, Putin and Medvedev once again congratulated them on the holiday.

Speaker of the State Duma lower house of parliament Sergei Naryshkin also took part in the May Day demonstration. He led a column of the Moscow Association of the Defence Industry Trade Unions.

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