Medvedev calls for major reforms in state of nation speech

Medvedev calls for major reforms in state of nation speech - Summary

Moscow- President Dmitry Medvedev called Thursday for a strengthening of democracy and economic rejuvenation through a "comprehensive modernisation" in Russia. In a 100-minute state of the nation address delivered at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Medvedev stressed that Russia's democratisation would not come at the expense of a weakened state.
"All attempts to destabilize the state and divide the society through democratic solutions will be stopped," he told an audience of around 1,000 political, religious, and business leaders.
"The strengthening of democracy does not mean the weakening of public order," said the president, who took office in May 2008.
At the same time, Medvedev called for Russia's first ever "modernisation in the history of the country based on the values and institutions of democracy."
Medvedev, who observers said appeared more confident than during his first address to the nation one year ago, encouraged Russians not rely on the state as they were forced to under communism, but to take control of their destinies.
Young people in particular should be raised in the spirit of "intellectual freedom", he said.
"Instead of an archaic society in which leaders make all the decisions and rules, a society of intelligent, free, and responsible people will emerge," Medvedev said.
Modernisation applied not just to Russian democracy and society, but to its economy as well.
The world's largest country by geography could not rely on its achievements during the Soviet period, he said. It was time for a revamping of the Russian economy away from dependence on natural resources such as oil and gas, he added.
Criticizing the "shamefully low" competitiveness of the Russian economy, Medvedev proclaimed a new era of technological innovation, in nuclear energy, space exploration, but also in information technology.
In the speech, traditionally a diagnosis of the country's social, economic, and political status quo, Medvedev also promised a tougher anti-corruption law, a higher standard of living, raised pensions, and new equipment for the military.
The Russian Armed Forces, he said, would receive more than 30 intercontinental missiles, three submarines, five Iskander ballistic missile systems, a warship, and nearly 60 warplanes and helicopters.
The speech took a critical tone similar to that in his Forward Russia! open letter of September. He then challenged Russians to themselves come up with ideas for reform. More than 17,000 were received.
But critics maintain that deeds have not yet followed from his calls for reform. Though Medvedev has called for a rigorous fight against corruption, experts consider this fundamental problem to have gotten worse.