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Russian President Vladimir Putin’s New Year address to the nation

The president urged to make effective work the coming year better

Russian President Vladimir Putin Alexey of Druzhinin/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin

© Alexey of Druzhinin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 31. /TASS/. Dear friends!

A new year, 2015, is to begin in a few moments.

As usual, we are looking forward to this holiday with great emotion, we are making wishes, exchanging gifts and feel joyful about this wonderful tradition of seeing in the New Year in the company of our families, dear ones and friends. This atmosphere of kindness, attention and generosity keeps our hearts warm and opens them up to good thoughts and noble deeds and inspires hope.

Of course, at this very moment each of us keeps in mind first and foremost the prosperity of one’s family and wishes good health and happiness to the next of kin. It is the happiness and success of each individual that Russia’s prosperity rests upon.

Love of the Motherland is one of the strongest and noble feelings. To the full extent it manifested itself in the fraternal support for the people of Crimea and Sevastopol after they had firmly made up their mind to get back home. That event will forever remain a most important milestone in the national history.

Dear friends!

Now, as we look back on the outgoing year, I would like to sincerely thank you for unity and solidarity, for the profound feelings of truth, honesty, justice and responsibility for the future of the country, for the unflagging readiness to stand up for the interests of Russia, to be with it in the days of triumph and in the times of trial, and to work for the success of our boldest and most ambitious plans.

Just several years ago the idea of holding Winter Olympics in Sochi had looked like a dream. It has not just come true: we managed to not only prepare for and host the best-ever Winter Olympics, but also to emerge the winner. That victory is a merit of all citizens of our country: the Olympic athletes and those who supported them.

In the coming year we will have to jointly address quite a few tasks. The new year’s shape is in our own hands, it will depend on how effectively, creatively and productively each of us will be doing one’s job. There are just no other recipes. We must accomplish and implement every single plan of ours - for our own sake, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of Russia.

Friends! The New Year is on the doorstep. Time is ripe to see it in and to say the warmest words to the dear ones. It’s time to thank them for understanding, faithfulness, patience and care. The more kindness and love there is, the more confident and stronger we will be. We will certainly achieve success.

Happy New Year!.

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