Russia must become a strong democratic federal country, said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in an article published on the government Internet web site this week.

"Russia needs strong government power and should have it," he said in the policy-making article titled "Russia at the Turn of the Millennium."

"This is not a call for a totalitarian system. Strong power in Russia means a democratic, law-governed efficient federal state," he said.

In Putin's opinion, such a state can be developed by rationalizing the power structure, raising the professionalism and discipline of officials, intensifying anti-corruption efforts, changing the personnel policy, strengthening the role of the judicial branch of power, improving federal relations and effectively fighting crime.

He said he does not think constitutional amendments a pressing task. The conformity of new legislation to the constitution is an important related task, and the Justice Ministry, prosecutors' offices and judicial bodies should help carry it out effectively, he stressed.

Putin believed "the traditional values of Russians" such as patriotism, social solidarity and adherence to a strong state are a foundation for the consolidation of the nation.

"To my mind the new Russian idea will be born as an alloy, a harmonious combination of universal, general human values with traditional Russian values that have stood the test of time," he said.

Putin said it would be wrong to deny the indisputable achievements of Soviet Union time.

However, "responsible social and political forces should offer the nation a strategy of revival and prosperity in the process of reforms, which should be carried out by gradual balanced steps in conditions of political stability and no decline in the living standards of the Russian people," said the premier.