Rustam Minnikhanov: Crime rates in the republic are stable and are under the law enforcers’s control

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov has today at the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers held an extended joint meeting between the Tatarstan Security Council, Tatarstan Antiterrorism Commission and Tatarstan Emergency Staff. Attendees were the State Advisor of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev and State Council chairman Farid Mukhametshin.

“Crime rates in the republic are stable and are under the law enforcers’s control,” R. Minnikhanov said, opening the session. “The total number of recorded crimes in 2010 substantially decreased, by 16 percent, the number of grave and especially grave ones – by one third. The quality and efficiency of investigation is considerably higher than in many other regions. It, however, does not mean everything is fine and we have no challenges in terms of the law enforcement work. It is no reason for complacency.”

The effect of countering crime is directly related to all the state power bodies, local governance bodies and law enforcers’s time-efficiency and competence. The activity of the entire law enforcement system and all the government branches in this very important area should be coherent. It should first of all focus on fighting the worst challenges to security and law and order. In the present-day conditions, they are xenophobia and extremism, terrorism and drug-related crimes, illegal immigration and corruption. All these crimes are closely related and are built to form a strong system that challenges the society and the state.

The Prosecutor of Tatarstan Kafil Amirov said in a report the surge in extremism and terrorism recently seen in some Russian constituents had led to the federal centre adopting a set of measures aimed to counter the negative phenomena. One of the main tasks is to increase security on public transport. The work should not be done to just tick a box, but should be systemic and constant. The fight against crime, especially organised crime, should be more effective as well. Criminal groups should be dealt with toughly. Another priority is fighting corruption within the law enforcement system.