MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Russia’s newly-elected State Duma, the lower house of parliament, should swiftly start working on the draft federal budget for 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the leaders of the parties on Friday.

"The adoption of the budget is among the priority tasks of the State Duma. I expect that the MPs will be swiftly engaged in this work," Putin said, adding: "The work is difficult, you know it well, many of you have already become professional financiers."

"I ask you to start this work immediately and without delay and build close, substantive and constructive cooperation with the Russian government," Putin told the lawmakers.

The president also expects that although the composition of the Duma has significantly changed, the continuity of its work will be ensured, and "this primarily concerns consolidation around solving major tasks of the country’s development."

Putin voiced hope that the differences between the parties will be put on the back burner "during the discussion on the key issues to achieve the goals of development in the interests of the entire society and the country’s development."

"I’m sure that the new lawmakers are ready for a serious and responsible job," he stressed.