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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has published his fourth article, this time on democracy and the quality of the state, in the Kommersant newspaper. His first article was an introduction to his program as candidate for presidency, the second was dedicated to the national issue, and the third was about economic problems, The Voice of Russia reported.

The newly published article spells out Putin’s vision of what is needed to create a qualitative state which would serve the interests of society. Vladimir Putin believes that democracy is crucial for creating such a state but the society has to be prepared for democracy. It’s important, Putin says, that most people feel ready and stay focused on taking part in running the state.

At present, the prime minster says, the civil society is ready for participating in running the state while the required quality of the state is lagging behind. This calls for a renewal of democratic mechanisms, Putin says.

The article warns against a return to the 90s which witnessed a fierce struggle between different clans and the arbitrary rule of self-proclaimed "elites" instead of a modern state and a free and fair society. Vladimir Putin says that the policies of the 2000s reflected the wishes of the people. The right to work, free healthcare services and free education remain high on the people’s priority list and were guaranteed in full during the presidencies of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.

The Russian middle class that has formed over the years has emerged from the isolated world of amassing wealth to cement civil society. Vladimir Putin calls for a political system which would tune in to the interests of large sections of society and encourage the public to take part in the lawmaking process, put forward their own projects and formulate their priorities. Britain has had a similar practice for years. The Internet is crucial for maintaining contact with the public, Putin says. Public initiatives that will gather at least 100,000 signatures on the Internet will have to be submitted to parliament.

In the opinion of Vladimir Putin, the entire vertical of power from municipal to federal authorities has to be upgraded. Local authorities should be easily accessible for the public and financially independent. The federal center should be able to hand over and redistribute power without losing control of the country. In Putin’s words, this calls for a new political conscience which would be aimed at creating better conditions for life, creative work and business.

In his article, Vladimir Putin suggests that government officials should be disqualified for poor service and breaching service-rendering standards. It’s important to break the "power-property" sequence and set limits on the state’s interference in the economy, he says adding that the eradication of corruption should become a nationwide campaign. The list of corruption-prone posts should be made and officials who occupy these positions should receive high salaries but should guarantee the transparency of all personal acquisitions, including for family needs.

The Russian prime minister has proposed to amend the judicial system so that it no longer relies on punitive practices and so that all court rulings are available on the Internet.

In conclusion, Vladimir Putin says that the changes he offers will lead Russia to genuine democracy and sustained development.