VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Opening remarks by Vladimir Putin:
Good afternoon.
Although Mr Zhirinovsky and myself have met only recently, today's meeting, which is on a larger scale, is also important, because it is being held with one of the most influential parliamentary parties and one of the most influential political forces in Russia. For years your party has been worthily represented in parliament. This meeting is not the first or the last of its kind and not only with your party. I intend to meet with other parties as well, as I said a few months ago.
But before we get down to the business of lawmaking, I would like to thank you for supporting the President and the Government when they helped South Ossetia to repulse the attack launched by the Georgian leadership against it and to rehabilitate the republic.
I find it gratifying that despite different approaches to some or other social problems, problems concerned with economic development and even some international issues, your party, the LDPR, whenever such problems crop up and demand consolidation of Russian society, takes up a very patriotic position. And together we demonstrate the unity so needed to uphold Russia's vital interests internationally. And I would very much like to see such unity shown in the future, too, on all key issues, especially in critical and emergency situations.
You know that a decision was taken to set up a new government structure to be concerned with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) affairs - a federal agency dealing with CIS matters, life of expatriates and international humanitarian cooperation. The other day the President issued a decree regulating the details of its operation.
We look to it to deal effectively with all these aspects. And I very much hope that the agency will work hand in hand with the State Duma and have the support of all its parties, the LDPR included, because an LDPR member, Alexei Ostrovsky, heads the Duma's ad hoc committee, which will now play a central role in such things. I do hope the committee and the new agency will put their best foot forward.
Now, a few words about current tasks facing the State Duma and the Government during this autumn's parliamentary session.
The main question is, of course, a debate on the draft federal budget for 2009-2011. The budget policy we pursue must lay down a solid foundation for the country's innovative development and improvement of its living standards. There is not, nor can there be, any other task.
The Government sees its prime duty in providing enough financing for education, health, infrastructure and innovative development. And, of course, for the strengthening of the country's armed forces and security.
In 2009, education will get 423 billion roubles, a 26% rise. Spending on health services from the federal budget and the compulsory health insurance fund will grow by 35%, or to 485 billion roubles. Allocations for the pension scheme will be increased to 2.9 trillion roubles, a rise of 21%. This step will increase the size of the state-paid pension in 2009 to a pensioner's subsistence level. Almost 2.4 trillion roubles is being budgeted for national defence and security, a growth of 27%.
I must also mention a sizeable increase in investments for national economic needs, or the development of infrastructure, support for farming, and high tech projects. In 2009, spending under these headings will for the first time surpass 1 trillion roubles. This is a growth well in excess of figures set for other and no less important branches and makes 35%.
There is also support for small- and medium-sized businesses, a traditionally high-key issue with the LDPR and its voters. For these purposes the federal budget plans to allocate 4 billion roubles in 2009 and 4.3 billion roubles each in 2010 and 2011.
In addition, the State Duma is to examine a raft of bills on easing the administrative restrictions on business. I look forward to your support on this and other government initiatives.
I can add that the Government, too, is ready to give detailed consideration to proposals from all parliamentary parties, including opposition ones, on this and other issues. There is not, nor will there be, any prejudged attitude on our part. What we are interested in is up-to-date ideas and quality bills, not the political affiliation of their drafters. It is important that we should work together in promoting the country's economic development, its social sphere and living standards of its population.
That about sums up what I wanted to say at the beginning. I am sure that a lively and interesting discussion will follow. Now I want to give the floor to Mr Zhirinovsky. If you please, Mr Zhirinovsky.
* * *
Mr Putin's comments on some issues raised during the meeting with the LDPR:
Vladimir Putin: If you allow me, Mr Zhirinovsky, I would like to make a couple of comments on the ethnic issue. I will start where our views are perhaps not exactly the same.
The ethnic issue in Russia has always been a focus of its life, because ours is a multi-ethnic state. And regardless of the numbers of some or other ethnic group, they all must be equal, absolutely equal. I think you will agree with me here. Only in this way can members of the smallest ethnicity feel that Russia is their home, their country.
Now about the events in South Ossetia - you know them well, as do your party colleagues. For two days, Russian peacekeeping troops and South Ossetian militiamen waged an unequal battle against the aggressors. And performing their duty, they died defending Russia's interests - our peacekeepers and many South Ossetian militiamen. All of them, our officers and men and South Ossetians, put up a very courageous - one might say heroic - fight. I repeat, many of the militiamen died. What they defended was not only their country - although, of course, it was their land, their homes, their families. But they also died defending the interests of Russia, because the interests of Russia and those of South Ossetia in this case fully coincided. We should not miss this point.
But to achieve full equality, a good deal still needs to be done. Here, I agree with Mr Zhirinovsky.
Now about the Council of Europe. It is a separate subject and we will yet take it up. You know that the current position held by our deputies is in a way the result of a compromise reached with their counterparts from the Council of Europe. It is a never-ending dialogue. I am not ruling out that as we pursue it we will occupy increasingly stronger positions.
Concerning the concrete branches of the economy. You have mentioned some of them and spent a lot of time discussing such a key area as agriculture. True, farming calls for special attention from State Duma deputies and the Government. This is not because it is a branch of the economy, but because it means the livelihood of 40 million people, the fortunes of 40 million of people, or one-third of our population. And as a result, we must pay more attention to it. Here, I absolutely agree with you.
At the same time, I call you attention to the fact that we have adopted a new and abbreviated tax system for farmers. And this system is working, bringing benefits for that sector of the economy.
A vast number of credits have been issued on easy terms under the national agriculture project. And a similarly vast number of farmers have taken them out. In that way, we supported the farmer and gave a boost to farming in general.
Besides, we have a programme for the social development of the countryside, and a series of other programmes. Leasing is making good headway.
On the other hand, I fully agree with you that there is a problem that has been defying solution for a long time. It is fertilisers for agriculture. It is as clear as day that monopoly producers are doing damage to farming.
Some time ago, we increased the export custom duty and channeled the funds thus raised into the development of farming itself, including for the purchase of fertilisers. But that is not a strategic solution and the situation needs looking into further.
Other unsolved problems in agriculture and other forms of support for it have also claimed your attention. One is the regulation of customs tariffs. A case in point is livestock products whose imports have been growing in recent years too rapidly. I repeat, too rapidly. That imports should generally grow is not such a bad thing. Imports supply towns and large cities with foodstuffs at reasonable prices. And in that sense they play a positive role, but they are growing too swiftly. If I am not mistaken, they shot up almost 18% in livestock products last year. Such growth is unacceptable. Here, we must pause and look into how to adjust things in this field.
As I have repeatedly said in my public remarks, a lot has been done to make Russia's entry into the World Trade Organisation possible. We undertook obligations and are fulfilling them as if we were a full-fledged member already. But actually we are not and bear the onus of membership in the hope of early admission. That cannot last indefinitely. You know that I have issued instructions to appropriate services. Currently, we are holding consultations with our partners, including the United States, on rewriting our obligations. We also maintain a special trade relationship with some other countries. Here, too, we must look and see how our farmers respond to large imports. Healthy competition is a good thing - that is clear. But if this flow snowballs and becomes excessive, it depresses domestic production. We must take a close look at this.
