SOCHI, May 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the restoration of the income level of Russian citizens a priority task for the authorities.

"It is necessary to achieve a transition to the growth of real incomes of citizens. This is the most important, top priority task for authorities at all levels," the head of state said when opening a meeting on economic issues on Wednesday. The meeting was in a videoconference format.

"Here you need to work closely with the business community, which plays a key role in the development of the labor market and economic recovery," he said addressing the participants of the meeting.

Putin recalled that today, May 26, is the Day of Russian Entrepreneurship.

"I would like to congratulate everyone who runs their business in Russia, creates jobs, achieves success with their work, perseverance, talent, on this holiday," the President addressed the business community, thanking the owners and heads of domestic businesses for their responsible approach and efforts to preserve labor teams amid the pandemic.

He also noted that during this difficult period, enterprises and companies worked reliably in all vital areas.

"Over the past year, we saw many examples when, due to current problems, our entrepreneurs did not lose sight of long-term tasks, invested in the modernization of production, in increasing the economic and technological potential of Russia, and sought to change life for the better in the settlements of the regions, in the country as a whole," the President said.

Putin noted that such an attitude of the business community deserves the most sincere respect and support from the state and society. The head of state thanked the country's leading business associations, which are actively involved in the preparation of strategic plans and the implementation of the national development agenda.

Putin stressed that Russian business will be widely represented at the site of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Number of working citizens 

The number of working citizens in Russia needs to be increased by another 700,000 in order to reach the level of employment that was before the pandemic, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on economic issues on Wednesday.

"After the recession last year, the number of people employed in our economy has already grown by 1,200,000 people. We need to increase it by at least another 700,000 to reach the level of 2019," Putin said.

e explained that at that time the unemployment rate was about 4.7%.

"Let me remind you once again that this is exactly the task set before the government," the Russian leader said, referring to the return of the employment market to pre-pandemic indicators.

According to him, now the country maintains a steady trend to reduce unemployment and restore the labor market. The head of state noted that last August, unemployment in Russia was at its peak and amounted to 6.4%, and in April its level dropped to 5.2%.

At the meeting the President also proposed discussing additional support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the situation on the housing market.

"As part of today's meeting, I suggest that, in addition to the general economic picture, we should touch upon additional measures to support small and medium-sized businesses. We will also consider the state of affairs in the residential real estate market, discuss the affordability of housing for citizens," the head of state said, addressing the participants of the meeting.