Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to adopt National Policy Strategy by December and to come up with proposals on the projected establishment of presidential council on inter-ethnic relations, the Kremlin said on Monday.

In a decree signed May 7, Putin instructed lawmakers to toughen punishment for people violating Russia’s migration legislation.

This January, Putin said in an article that Russia should have stricter registration rules for internal migrants and introduce criminal responsibility for violation of migration laws.

Putin also bound federal and regional authorities to introduce compulsory exams testing migrants’ knowledge of Russian history and Russian language.