Putin promises more freedom for Russians

moscow - The Russian president Putin wants the Russians to enjoy more freedom in all kinds of areas. He said Thursday in his annual press conference that the democratic institutions, the citizens' society and the judiciary must be strengthened.

'We must be a country that is open to the world and open to new ideas and initiatives. 'Russia has in recent years, according to Putin, already presented itself as an idiosyncratic democratic society. His government, however, is getting a lot of criticism that in recent years, measures have been taken that limit the freedom of the Russian and that, for example, intensify control over communication via the internet.

Putin also said that considerable investments must be made in the infrastructure. He thinks that the current expenditure on the construction of infrastructure must be doubled and he thinks of projects worth almost 160 billion euros. Putin predicts that life expectancy in his country will be 80 years old by 2020. That life expectancy is now 73 years.