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
“Every Russian citizen counts today. <…> We need to take new decisive steps to maintain and raise our population numbers. However, unless we revive the traditional attitude to basic moral values, no socio-economic policy will produce stable results. The efforts of the state, society, religious, educational and cultural organisations should be aimed at promoting a close-knit prosperous family with many children.”
“Our demographic policy is now at the stage where the greatest effect can be achieved through direct targeted measures in specific regions, taking into account regional specifics, traditions, and patterns of family life. In some constituent entities, this will mean providing plots of land to families with many children; in others, additional benefits; in still others, housing; and somewhere else – a combination of all these measures.”
“Our federal and regional programmes of support for families with children have proved to be highly effective; they must definitely be continued, though we also need to take additional steps in order to promote them still further. A particular focus has to be placed on the regions, where the demographic situation is still unstable.”
“We have achieved some significant results, but our main success story has been the positive demographic trends. <…> The natural decline in the population has fallen by 86.3% since 2000. Life expectancy in Russia has gone up by almost five years within a fairly short period of time – and this is a good indicator – it currently stands at just over 70 years (70.3). The birth rate has risen by almost 45%, while infant mortality rates have declined.”
“Let me stress that solving our demographic goals depends to a large extent on the activities of the regional governing teams, their commitment to creating improved conditions for people’s lives and for fulfilling their ambitions. Ultimately all economic achievements must have a tangible human dimension.”
“We must prioritise those regions where the experts record a negative demographic trend for several years in a row. <…> People of any ethnicity who live in the demographically stagnant areas and need support from the government will receive this help regardless of their ethnic origin.”
“What we need to do is not only to continue these programmes but expand them and put forward additional measures to boost the birth rate, which means supporting families with children as our top priority. Multi-child families should be the most valued, and families with two or three children the preferred social norm. We have to end the situation where the birth of a child causes a family financial difficulties or pushes it to the edge of poverty.”
“Without question, the positive trend in the birth rate is connected to the overall improvement of the situation in the country, the better quality of life for Russian families, and the wider planning horizon. Our support measures have also had an effect – in the form of federal subsidies for maternity capital, birth certificates, as well as the construction of regional perinatal centres and high-technology medical centres.”
“In 2011 over 1.7 million children were born and the death rate decreased by 5.6%. I’m pleased to say that these figures are the best Russia has seen in the last 19 years. Overall, the population loss also decreased 1.8 times, and the average life expectancy increased one and half years to 70.3 years in 2011 in the Russian Federation. These indices are absolutely comparable with European indices.”
“The infant mortality rate decreased, too. Including immigration, the total Russian population grew by 160,000 to 143 million. <…>I also want to point out that it is necessary to do much more than has recently been done. The demographic problem remains one of the most sensitive problems in Europe and in Russia, in particular. Meanwhile I am glad to note that our efforts have not been in vain. It is necessary to intensify our efforts in this area.”
