Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, Dmitry Demeshin. Photo: Alexander Kazakov/TASS
On Wednesday afternoon, September 18, Vladimir Putin (the president was in St. Petersburg at the time) held a meeting via video conference with the heads of Russian regions elected during a single day of voting.
Among those with whom the head of state spoke was the Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, Dmitry Demeshin.
When the meeting was over (and it was already 3am in the regional capital at that time), the new leader answered my questions…
– …Alejandro, good evening. You and I have 3 minutes.
– Hello, Dmitry Viktorovich, thank you very much for your reply. Because we have not yet received the information about what you discussed with the President. So I have one question right away. Please tell me, how long did your face-to-face online meeting via video conference with the Head of State, who is now in St. Petersburg, last?
– I think for about three minutes.
– What were they talking about?
– The President of Russia recalled the tasks he had set for himself at the Eastern Economic Forum, reminded me of them, and reminded all the inhabitants of the Far East of them.
– What exactly are we talking about?
– Of course, this is a task of national development, this is the ability to act in a unified manner, focusing on the goals of national development.
Vladimir Vladimirovich also recalled that new national projects are being formed, which is also very important.
Well, we also discussed, among other things, the issue of using tools in the implementation of the tasks that Vladimir Vladimirovich set in the EEF.
– What did you say in response?
– I, in turn, informed the President about the mechanisms to centralize our regional power, at all levels.
Because, by achieving an efficient economy, of course, all our citizens have become stronger…
And the support of the population was received, first of all, by the policy that is followed in our country.
– It’s empty. Please tell me, usually in these kinds of meetings there is also a closed part. Was it there today or not?
– No, today there was only one part open.
The President spoke with five regional leaders…
– Including you. Did Governor Demeshin ask the President for anything?
– No, Governor Demeshin thanked the government for the support already provided. He said that people in the Khabarovsk Territory believe in the facts and see a turn of the Russian economy towards the east.
And the state support system operating in the Far East is already living up to expectations of positive changes.
And our task is to actually “land” this in specific projects. And for this purpose, national projects have already been developed that meet the national development objectives.
– It’s empty. So the president spoke to you for 3 minutes, so you gave me 3 minutes too?
– It’s just that the President is now holding the next meeting – the Council of State, so I’m sitting there waiting for it to start. And not because it’s very important there.
– What time is it now?
– You know, in fact, all the regional bosses already see me talking… (VKS started working.)
– What time is it now?
– Two thirty in the morning, I think…
– Oh, I mean, it’s still early… Thank you very much…
– Call, these are working hours for us.
– We support you. And you call too. Luckily, bye, I was glad to hear that.
– Thank God.
