Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented the annual State of the Union address, stating: "Regrettably, in Russia decisions are made around a table, and I cannot help asking whether hiding in the office is the best approach. He called on officials to step out of their offices and actively engage in dialogue with the public.
The most direct way to establish communications between officials and the public is through elections and votes. Russia should amend its constitution, looking at models like Switzerland and the US state California. For example, candidates in any election should be required to register at least six months before the election, using the ensuing half year to field questions from the public. Also, elections should be free of charge and various organs or individuals should not be allowed to influence elections. For more, see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Developmen
