Upon arrival from the Siberian city of Tomsk, Russian President Vladimir Putin joined members of parliament Thursday night in gala functions dedicated to the centenary jubilee of the Russia’s first parliament, the State Duma that was convened in 1906.

Back in Tomsk, had had an intense round of talks with Germany’s Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and met with Russian and German business executives.

As the members of parliament awaited Putin’s arrival, they held a special jubilee session in the Tauride Palace and endorsed an appeal to nations of the world on the occasion of the jubilee.

They urged their counterparts in other countries to maintain the best traditions of parliamentarism, to develop democracy and to strengthen a just multi-polar world.

The MPs voiced the confidence that nowadays State Duma, the lower house of parliament, represents the interests of the multi-ethnic Russian people, as well as the ideological and political diversity of contemporary Russian society.

Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov pointed out a need for perfecting relationship between the parliament and the government.

“This issue requires special attention in a country where Constitution gives the parliament the power of endorsing the candidacy of Prime Minister but not separate ministers,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of smoothly working contacts between the parliament and the Office of President.

Along with Russian MPs, attending the celebrations in St Petersburg are officials from international organizations and members of parliament from other countries of the CIS, former Soviet Baltic Republics, Finland and Poland.

All of these countries were regions of the Russian Empire at the time the first State Duma was set up.

News source: itar-tass.com
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