Speech at Educational and Research Conference marking the Fifteenth Anniversary of the Russian Constitutions Adoption December 12, 2008 The Kremlin, Moscow Part 1 Выступление на научно-практической конференции, посвящённой 15-летию принятия Конституции Российской Федерации 12 декабря 2008 года Москва, Государственный Кремлёвский дворец PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Good afternoon, dear friends and colleagues, First of all, I want to wish everyone my sincere congratulations on our Constitutions fifteenth anniversary. It is my firm conviction that this is not just a significant date but also an event of fundamental historic importance. On December 12, 1993, our country adopted a fundamentally new Constitution for the first time in its history, a Constitution that recognised individuals and their rights and freedoms as the highest value, laid the foundations of a democratic order in Russia and bound the state to observe and protect these new basic values in practice. The adoption of the Russian Constitution marked a turning point in modern Russias history. It was approved by the peoples will and thus signified a decisive and defining choice in favour of free and progressive development, a radical change in political and economic relations in favour of a social state and fair society, the high status of the law and independent courts, and the development of genuine federalism and full-fledged local self-government. The Constitution was born out of public consensus, genuine public consensus on the direction the countrys long-term development should take. The situation was very complicated at the time and the Constitutions adoption took place in the midst of far from simple political processes, but it nevertheless became the platform setting out our values for the decades to come, and it brought new stability to the states foundations, thus opening up the road to free development for each individual and for society as a whole. This is what makes it so different to constitutions of the preceding period. The years that have passed by, for all their difficulties, have made clear the Constitutions tremendous potential and have confirmed its balanced influence on the development of all forms of property in our country, effective use of budget funds, the development of economic relations in general, consolidation of social institutions, the civil service and the provision of public services, and indeed on practically every area of life that has a direct relation to peoples everyday needs and their development demands. I want to recall once more that in accordance with the Constitution, it is human and civil rights and freedoms that define the sense and content of the states activities. It is these freedoms (Shouts from the audience.) Theres no need to take them away. Let them stay and listen. Really, this is the whole purpose of the Constitution to give each person the right to express their own views. This is also a view, and we should respect it too. Here, at this educational and research conference, you have the opportunity to once again analyse the Constitutions content. I would like chiefly to take a look at the opportunities the Constitution gives us for developing and improving the countrys laws. I will not tire you with lengthy reflections on this subject, but will simply set out three points. First is improving the way public power is organised. One of the main tasks in this area is clear delimitation of the powers and responsibilities of the different levels of government. For example, there is a need to clarify in law the list of property needed for the federal and regional authorities to carry out their work in full. To be honest, this is an old issue that has been around for a long time now, but unfortunately we have yet to finally settle it. Relations between the budgets at the different levels are another area that requires further work. And procedures for the provision of...