President Dmitry Medvedev has decided to create the North Caucasus Federal District (NCFD). Alexander Khloponin has been appointed to the post of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the district and simultaneously Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. This is stated on the Kremlin website.

During a working meeting with Khloponin, Medvedev emphasized that the existing problems of the Caucasus - such as unemployment, economic crime, clannishness, bribery - cannot be solved by law enforcement alone. Economic modernization is needed first and foremost. The President expressed hope that it is in this area that the experience accumulated by Khloponin in Krasnoyarsk Krai will be fully in demand in his new position.

According to the presidential decree, the North Caucasian Federal District is separated from the Southern Federal District, which includes Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia-Alania, Chechnya and Stavropol Krai. The center of the federal district will be Pyatigorsk.

Medvedev noted that a unique position will arise, when one person is both the deputy prime minister and the plenipotentiary representative of the president. "You will have in your hands both economic powers, powers related to the executive and administrative activities of the Russian government, and, on the other hand, powers related to the performance of duties of the presidential vertical. That is, powers that traditionally belong to the presidential representative in the federal district on personnel, on work with security and law enforcement agencies and on all other issues that the president has assigned to the plenipotentiary representative," Medvedev noted, addressing Khloponin.

According to the president, since there is a special restriction in Russia stipulated by the law on the government, the second part of his decree will come into force from the moment the federal constitutional law on the government is amended. Therefore, Khloponin will only acquire additional powers as a plenipotentiary representative from that moment. "But I hope, and I have specifically discussed this with our colleagues from the State Duma, that this will be done quickly, literally in the very near future," Medvedev added.

The President expressed hope that Khloponin will be able to use his experience as a governor, gained in Siberia, in the North Caucasus. "You were governor twice in two territories. In my opinion, this is a successful experience, you have achieved a lot. First of all, I mean the development of socio-economic projects. This is exactly what is urgently needed in the North Caucasus now," Medvedev noted.

Khloponin thanked the president for his trust and said in response: "I listened attentively to your message and I understand that this is a most important priority project for the country as well – the development of the North Caucasus. I understand that many issues and problems that exist in this region today are resolved, among other things, through economic issues, through solving socio-economic problems in the territory. Of course, I will try to make maximum use of the experience that has already been accumulated in Krasnoyarsk Krai, within the Siberian Federal District, and I will try to justify the trust." Medvedev promised to help him.

Khloponin to become Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Representative in the North Caucasus District