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Putin to attend Interior Ministry’s board meeting Friday

He instructed the police to enhance law enforcement at public places and to take a hard line against extremist organizations and provide a prompt response to any manifestations of extremism

© ITAR-TASS/Alexey Nikolsky

MOSCOW, March 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday will attend an enlarged board meeting of the Interior Ministry, which, according to the Kremlin’s press-service will look back on last year’s activities by police and Interior Troops and identify priorities for this year.

The president, who is personally responsible for overseeing the operation of the key law enforcement bodies, is invariably present at annual Interior Ministry board meetings. Last year he urged the Interior Ministry’s senior personnel to step up the quality of detective and investigation work.

Also, he instructed the police to enhance law enforcement at public places and to take a hard line against extremist organizations and provide a prompt response to any manifestations of extremism whoever might be responsible, from rampaging sports fans to nationalist and radical opposition groups.

“Ensuring the security of individuals and society and pro-active struggle against crime are the top priorities,” Putin said.

He emphasized the importance of efforts against organized crime, in particular, trans-national and ethnic groups, as well as white collar crime and urged the police to protect “law abiding businessmen from any criminal encroachments.

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