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Process of delegating powers from federal centre to regions to be continued

According to the president, the Russian government is now working on delimitating competences between the federal centre and regional authorities
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 13 (Itar-Tass) —— The process of decentralization of powers from the federal centre to Russian regions will be continues, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at a meeting with the Council of Legislators.

“This process, which implies not a mere transition of authorities but the sources of financing as well, is not an easy one, and we have no right to mistakes,” he stressed. “I would not go into details now, but I would like to reassure you that this process, the process of decentralization, will be continued.”

According to the president, the Russian government is now working on delimitating competences between the federal centre and regional authorities. All ministries and agencies are involved in this work, he noted. “Everything hinges on one thing: the interests of certain agencies,” he said. “As soon as we say that some functions are to be delegated to the regions, federal agencies produce a heap of arguments why it should not be done.”

“But nonetheless, we shall do it and some additional functions will be delegated to the regions in the nearest future, so it will be up to the regions themselves how to distribute their possibilities and liabilities with municipalities,” the president said.

At the same time, he stressed that such functions to be delegated must go together with financing. “Otherwise we will kill you,” he added.