On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin had his first meeting with the State Council since he took office as President. The State Council is the president’s top advisory body where, among others, the governors of all 83 federal entities participate.
Putin outlined the plans to boost regional modernization, productivity, competiveness and economy.
Governors of the different entities play an important role to fulfill these measures, Putin said adding that the administration has created a special working group to oversee how the governors’ implementation of the requirements is carried out.
One of the last laws former president Dmitri Medvedev signed was re-introducing election of governors. The law entered force from July 1 this year and was considered to improve regional democracy following a seven-year period where governors have been directly appointed by the president.
But Vladimir Putin ended the meeting in the State Council by reminding all participating governors that he is the one having the final word.
“I say we have recently greatly upgraded the governors. Now with introducing new procedures for formation of regional power, but I think you all understand that the head of state has enough tools to solve any task, especially when it concerns those who cannot perform their duties,” Putin said according to the transcript from the meeting posted at the portal of the president.
Any Russian citizen over 30 can run for governor of a region, either as a candidate from a party or as independent if enough signatures support the candidate.
None of the regions in the Russian part of the Barents Region will hold governors elections this year. Arkhangelsk Oblast, Murmansk Oblast and the Republic of Karelia have all new regional leaders, respectively Igor Orlov, Marina Kovtun and Aleksandr Khudilainen.
