Mikhail Mishustin held two more meetings with Duma factions

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Thursday continued a series of meetings with factions ahead of the government’s annual report to the State Duma. This time, representatives of United Russia (UR) and A Just Russia – For Truth (SRZP) came to the White House with reports and questions. Neither one nor the other expressed any complaints about the work of the government.

The prime minister opened the next day of meetings with factions SRHR. Mikhail Mishustin, who traditionally looks for (and finds) reasons for personal gratitude to each of the parties, “first of all” praised her for her “most active position on issues related to the special military operation.” “This allows us (taking into account the support of other factions and colleagues in the Duma) to quickly help our defenders and their families and loved ones,” the head of government emphasized. At the same time, he noted the merits of SRZP in working on financial legislation and housing and communal services problems, as well as in supporting science. “We count on the attention of deputies to these issues, on parliamentary control over how the decisions taken are implemented,” the prime minister called.

SRZP leader Sergei Mironov in response thanked the Cabinet of Ministers and Mr. Mishustin for their attention to the faction’s initiatives.

“We really appreciate not only your personal attitude, but also that of all members of the government,” the party member noted. “Because we always have dialogue, we always have understanding, and we value this very much.”

The key topics in his speech were support for SVO participants (preferential mortgages and land plots in new regions, quotas for vacancies in government agencies, reduced transport tax), indexation of pensions and lowering the retirement age at least for certain categories of pensioners, demography and alimony, housing policy and housing and communal services .

In connection with the tragedy at Crocus, the leader of the SRZP noted the need for reforms in the field of security of educational institutions and, of course, in migration policy – for example, ideas were voiced for a radical change in the management of processes, the elimination of the patent system and the introduction of a visa regime with the countries of Central Asia. Mr. Mironov concluded his speech with an emphasis on “the need to preserve historical memory and justice”: the Social Revolutionaries have already prepared bills to recognize the actions of Nazi Germany during the Great Patriotic War as genocide and on legal assistance to relatives of veterans in filing relevant claims. “We have no complaints about interaction, receiving consultations, participation of government members in various kinds of our events,” Sergei Mironov assured and promised to approve the government report in the State Duma by the entire faction.

The next to come to the prime minister were United Russia. The interaction between the Cabinet of Ministers and the majority party is effectively structured on all issues and proceeds as openly as possible, Mikhail Mishustin immediately recalled, praising party members for their personal dedication and commitment to a creative approach. “I hope that communication with United Russia will be, as always, effective,” he admitted. The faction’s initiatives in the field of employment, ensuring SVO and protecting the rights of its participants, integrating new regions and, of course, work on the budget deserve special gratitude from the head of government. “Thanks to the United Russia, the country’s main financial document for the current and next two years was supplemented with important decisions for people,” noted Mr. Mishustin. “The amendments exceeded 138 billion rubles, covered the comprehensive development of rural areas, the fight against cardiovascular diseases and, of course, very important topics are education and science.”

The leader of the United Russia faction, Vladimir Vasiliev, in turn, praised the government for its achievements in the digital industry, including remote electronic voting. The party members themselves, in cooperation with the Cabinet of Ministers in 2022–2023, worked out and adopted 1,347 laws, including 192 to counter sanctions, 62 regarding the integration of new regions, 90 to help participants of the Northern Military District and another 200 to support the Russian economy, United Russia said. He also thanked his comrades “for the fact that the faction does not follow the path of populism,” sometimes inherent in representatives of other parties, but “constantly takes a position” calculated together with the government.

However, the new format of joint work, when parliament approves ministers and deputy prime ministers, coupled with the open approach of Mikhail Mishustin himself and his team, has nevertheless provided greater unity for the Duma members, Mr. Vasiliev admitted: “We have become better at preparing our joint bills, this is evidenced by what is happening is consolidation.”

Thus, in 2022, the Duma adopted 428 out of 653 laws unanimously, and in 2023 – 450 out of 694, the United Russia member recalled: “I hope that we will continue to maintain such consolidation.”

In conclusion, Vladimir Vasiliev noted the high value of parliamentary control tools (especially in terms of cost optimization) and placed several thematic highlights. Thus, the “socially significant issues” that United Russia members came to the prime minister with concerned the improvement of migration legislation, “which after the terrorist attack became very painful for people,” the modernization of housing and communal services and the development of new territories. “We will soon approve a new government,” the faction leader concluded. “This is a very responsible job. I think that today’s meeting will be very, very useful for each of us.”

Grigory Leiba