MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2021) Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to unveil a comprehensive relief package and outline key policy priorities for the post-pandemic period in his annual address to the parliament on Wednesday.
Putin will give his speech at noon local time (09:00 GMT) from the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall in downtown Moscow.
The event, broadcast live by Russia's main tv channels, is traditionally attended by lawmakers from both houses of the Federal Assembly, cabinet members, regional governors as well as distinguished guests.
Due to the pandemic, only 435 journalists were accredited to the event this year, down from 885 in 2020.
Officials and accredited journalists will be allowed to join the event only if they provide three negative coronavirus tests, with the first one taken five days before the address and the last one on April 20.
Putin said back in March that he started preparing his address. Over the past two days, he did not took part in public events, working on the text. On Monday evening, the president noted that recently he had been constantly in touch with the prime minister, deputy prime ministers and ministers to reach final agreement on some of the most important issues.
The speech is set to outline national priorities for the year ahead, setting objectives to restart the economy and raise living standards hit by the pandemic crisis.
Much of the message will likely revolve around relief measures, health sector, COVID-19 vaccination, education, demography, pensions, as well as measures to overcome poverty.
The president may also touch upon foreign policy issues and the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Bearing in mind that Putin used his January 2020 address to propose a slew of constitutional amendments and called for a "new quality of public administration," setting in motion a chain of events, including a government shakeup and constitutional reform, some experts expect that this year's speech will be no less "momentous."
"Last year's address was implemented in full with regard to its key message � amendments to the main law. Everything was done as planned. And I am convinced that this address will also be momentous and historic. The fact that last year's one was momentous and historic is doubted by nobody. The upcoming one, I am sure, will be exactly the same," Pavel Danilin, director of the Center for Political Analysis and Social Research, said.
