Several government officials have said that President Vladimir Putin's yearly State of the Nation address will be held on Dec. 12, Russia's Constitution Day — although the president's spokesman insists that no date has been set, a news report said Wednesday.
"It's still too early" to speak about the date, and the topics of the address have not been chosen, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Kommersant.
But despite not having received official invitations, a number of unidentified State Duma deputies and Federation Council senators said that the speech will take place on Dec. 12, the same date as last year, and predicted the topics that Putin might address.
Members of all Duma factions said they hope that the president will offer a strategy for economic development, with Vyacheslav Timchenko, first deputy head of the United Russia faction, saying that he is sure "the social and economic development of the country and the issue of strengthening and developing municipal divisions" will be discussed.
Putin could also address immigration, Eurasian integration, judicial reform and Russia's defense capabilities, the deputies said.
As he did in 2012, Putin has agreed to hold a major new conference in December following the address.
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