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Vladimir Putin's closing speech at the State Duma session on May 8, 2008

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Vladimir Putin's concluding remarks at the State Duma session on May 8, 2008

First of all, I would like to give a few figures for your information. If we go back to the problem of fundamental science, which was mentioned by the speakers here, 250 billion roubles will be additionally disbursed for fundamental science in the next five years.

Also, I believe some of the speakers have made a mistake: they mentioned that the childcare allowance is 75 roubles. That was a very, very long time ago.

We have made totally different decisions. The childcare allowance which a woman gets until the child is 18 months old is as follows: 1,500 roubles for the first child; 3,000 roubles for the second child; and 40% of the salary for working women. That does not include the maternity allowance. We have adopted a whole programme that addresses this issue.

I agree that we should develop that programme further. I agree that we should think about it. And if you come up with realistic and concrete proposals we will support them by all means. Improving the demographic situation is our common goal.

Several colleagues have talked about tariffs. Of course, it is not a pleasant job to raise prices and tariffs, especially those of natural monopolies.

But then we should go to the striking railway workers and tell them to be patient. Or take some of the money earmarked for other purposes and use it to support these sectors, including railway transport. Where can that money come from? From the budget. At the expense of healthcare, public sector wages, education and defence. Is that what you want? Let us do it. But that would be your decision.

Our proposal is different. We propose to approach these problems in a balanced way and to develop the whole economy measuring our steps against the consequences, against the effect on the economy and the social sphere.

And now I would like to thank all of you for your decision. I see it not only as another sign of trust, but also as support of our strategic programmes, as readiness to work hard together, to strengthen Russia and enhance the well-being of our citizens.

The Government's key task will be to create high living standards and to improve the people's well-being. We will build all our projects and programmes in the economy and social sphere around it. We will seek to make the work of all the levels of the executive branch as effective as possible. We will work for the interests and needs of the country's citizens.

Let me stress that I count on the closest interaction with the State Duma, with regional Governments and civil society institutions.

It is our duty to live up to people's hope for a dramatic improvement in their lives. The level and scale of the tasks that lie ahead of us sets the highest requirements to our work.

I consider today's procedure to be completely normal and natural. And the fact that the Communist Party did not vote is absolutely normal. But I have a feeling that the reason the Communist Party did not vote is not that we have failed to achieve something in recent years but precisely because we have achieved a great deal, and that undermines their own political ambitions.

And one last point. Nikolai Kharitonov has just given me a letter from the workers at the Zvenigovsky state-owned farm. That was before the vote. They addressed me as the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. There are many signatures at the end. I am glad that the opinion of the Zvenigovsky farm workers coincides with that of the overwhelming majority of Duma deputies.

Thank you for your support.