VLADIMIR PUTIN
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OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
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VLADIMIR PUTIN

Point of View

23 september
2010
Budget 89

“We hope that economic growth will help to balance the country's budget. Extra budget revenues should come from qualitative economic development and not from oil fees or the demand for natural resources. So we have made a conservative forecast for oil prices. The current cost for oil is $75 per barrel, according to the draft budget for 2011. Of course, the decisions we made in the tax sector should increase budget revenues as well. I mean the increase of mineral extraction taxes, indexing excise taxes, and changing payment rates in the Pension Fund, Social Fund and the Mandatory Medical Insurance Fund.”

Vladimir Putin
At a government meeting, September 23
28 july
2010
Budget 89

“In terms of budget spending priorities, they will remain unaltered. We will ensure that the social obligations of the government are fulfilled and pay particular attention to the programmes connected with modernizing the economy and developing high technologies. On this subject I can say that in 2011 pensions will grow by 9% compared to the basic one of 2010. The old-age retirement pension will increase to 8,780 roubles, while the social pension will rise to 5,050 roubles. And the major increase is set to take place on February 1 of next year.”

Vladimir Putin
А meeting of the Commission on Budgetary Planning for the Upcoming Fiscal Year and the Planning Period, July 28
12 july
2010
Budget 89

“I'd like to point out that this upcoming budget will be tight. In these conditions it is very important for us to focus on our priorities. We must justify and consider the effectiveness of all expenditures and only spend money on truly important issues. This primarily applies to social services and meeting our social obligations. I'd like to emphasise that our unconditional priorities include everything related to pensions, allowances, public sector wages and salaries, the implementation of housing programmes and the development of healthcare.”

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting to discuss fiscal policy for 2011 and the planned period of 2012 and 2013, July 12
1 june
2010
Budget 89

“It’ll take time to overcome the negative effects of the global recession fully, rebuild the economy and reverse the budget deficit. This is why we cannot expect a sharp increase in budget revenues in coming years, which we could have spent on items other than servicing our debt. The budget will continue to run a deficit for the next few years, which is why we must adopt a highly responsible approach for each expenditure item, concentrating resources on high-priority budget items and trying to stay on schedule to reduce the budget deficit to 3% in 2012. The same strict discipline is also absolutely necessary for regional budgets in order to avoid discrepancies and ensure the stability of the entire budget system.”

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting with the leadership of the United Russia Party, June 1
24 may
2010
Budget 89

“We will continue working on the budget today and we will review the scenario plans for economic development for 2011-2013. I'd like to emphasise the particular basis of this document. It is designed for a post-crisis period when we must not only fully overcome the consequences of the past year's recession, but also achieve steady development. Needless to say, as we agreed, the budget should be based on conservative predictions, which will be carried out in any event. However, I believe that the scenario plans should reflect the government's efforts to modernise the economy and formulate a clear understanding of the prospects and factors of future growth”.

Vladimir Putin
At a conference on the scenario plans for economic development in 2011-2013, May 24
14 may
2010
Budget 89

“We should proceed from the fact that a low or even zero budget deficit is normal for Russia. Only such policy can make one feel confident amid fluctuating prices for our export products. We should not cut back on budgetary spending and forego unsecured debentures. We must unfailingly honour our commitments before Russia's citizens whatever the circumstances. Consequently, we have to stick to our timeframe and reduce the budget deficit to 3% in 2012 and then down to zero in 2015”.

Vladimir Putin
At a joint meeting of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Development Boards, May14
20 april
2010
Budget 89

“We decided not to cut the government spending on every budget item. We can often hear that there was a radical reduction, but we didn't make wholesale reductions of spending on every budget item. We chose a different solution, and I believe we did the right thing. As a matter of fact, we kept the budget at the planned level, redistributing budget spending to benefit the sectors that can ensure social and economic stability in the country. Moreover, budget spending grew significantly in 2009, if compared with 2008, the pre-crisis year. I was surprised to see these numbers myself yesterday. Budget spending grew 27.3%, whereas revenues dropped 20.9%. We used the reserves we accumulated to offset the deficit.”

Vladimir Putin
A report to the State Duma on government performance in 2009, April 20, Moscow
6 april
2010
Budget 89

"Recently, we have focused our attention on the preparation of and implementing the budget. Budget planning is a major yardstick by which we measure the effectiveness of public administration. It allows us to see whether the government can actually address the problems people face."

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting to discuss the government’s long-term targeted programmes, Moscow, 6 April 2010
9 march
2010
Budget 89

“Forecasts for social and economic development and basic budget indices should be based on conservative and realistic estimates that take into account all possible risks, particularly unpredictable fluctuations in global markets for oil, metals and other basic Russian exports.”

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting on funding for federal targeted programmes for next year and subsequent year Moscow, March 9, 2010
9 march
2010
Budget 89

“We need to prepare in advance for the entry into force of the law altering the status of public institutions, which envisages fundamentally new approaches for preparing and executing of budget expenditures. In particular, the usual estimates will be replaced by measures such as targets in education, healthcare and other public services. These targets will be used not only to determine how much funds are allocated but also to set requirements for the scope and quality of work. The purpose of these changes is to provide healthcare, education and the services of our entire public sector to citizens by providing an incentive for careful attention to people's needs and demands.”

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting on funding for federal targeted programmes for next year and subsequent year Moscow, March 9, 2010
9 march
2010
Budget 89

“It should return to traditional financial planning. We had to temporarily abandon it last year in order to take extraordinary measures due to the global financial and economic crisis. We had to implement government anti-crisis programmes, which on the whole have met their targets. The situation has now been stabilised, and we can again afford to prepare a more routine budget. Therefore, we must produce a high-grade budget for 2011 that will meet long-term objectives and fully guarantee the fulfilment of social obligations.”

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting on funding for federal targeted programmes for next year and subsequent year Moscow, March 9, 2010
25 november
2009
Budget 89

"The Government is planning to allocate an unprecedented 10% of GDP to fund pensions and other social benefits in 2010. We are spending less than 3% on defence. Ten percent of GDP is a huge sum for any state and by any standards."

Vladimir Putin
At the Second National Pension Forum, Moscow, November 25, 2009
21 november
2009
Budget 89

"I think it is a fact of fundamental importance that in spite of the problems caused by the crisis we have not renounced our strategic line of investing in man, in the quality of life or the well-being of Russian families. About 70% of budget spending in 2010 will have a pronounced social character."

Vladimir Putin
At the 11th Congress of United Russia party, St. Petersburg, Novemnber 21, 2009
20 october
2009
Budget 89

Ours is a socially oriented budget. It stipulates requisite allocations for the payment of benefits, pensions and wages. We are carrying out a large-scale pension reform - we have discussed this more than once and you know the main parameters of that reform. We must do everything possible to ensure the unconditional implementation of these commitments. On the other hand, the budget is also aimed at development, and so allocations to high technologies have been reaffirmed and, in some cases, increased, in particular allocations to the aerospace sector, shipbuilding and other high-tech sectors.

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting with State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov, Moscow, October 20, 2009
23 september
2009
Budget 89

"The federal budget will retain its role of the most important stimulating tool for economic modernisation. We will continue programmes of infrastructure development and establish innovation-based production facilities. Allocations for these purposes will total around 1.6 trillion roubles. Out of that sum, 300 billion roubles will go into building roads, and about 240 billion for support of high tech industries. The Federal Space Programme will receive 67.2 billion, the Rosatom corporation over 53 billion roubles as a Government's property contribution, the GLONASS programme 27.9 billion, civil aviation 22.5 billion, research and teaching personnel training 11.9 billion, and digital TV programme 10.8 billion roubles."

Vladimir Putin
At the meeting of the Government, Moscow, September 23, 2009
23 september
2009
Budget 89

"Overall, the Government will spend an unprecedented 4.4 trillion roubles on pensions, or 10% of the country's GDP. There has never been anything like that in Russian history."

Vladimir Putin
At the meeting of the Government, Moscow, September 23, 2009
23 september
2009
Budget 89

"Total expenditures of the federal budget will amount to 9.9 trillion roubles in 2010, which is comparable to this year's spending. No, it is slightly more, as spending in 2009 is expected to be 9.8 trillion roubles. These resources will certainly help us finance all of our priorities, first of all to significantly increase retirement pensions. Let me remind you that the next indexation is scheduled for December. We will raise the basic part of labour pensions by over 30%. Next year pensions will grow by another 46%, averaging at 8,000 roubles a month."

Vladimir Putin
At the meeting of the Government, Moscow, September 23, 2009
23 september
2009
Budget 89

“The primary goal of the budget policy for the immediate future is to ensure macroeconomic stability and to consistently reduce the budget deficit, which will amount to 3.2 trillion roubles in 2009 and should be halved to 1.6 trillion roubles by 2012.”

Vladimir Putin
At the meeting of the Government, Moscow, September 23, 2009
15 september
2009
Budget 89

"Assuming that in 2010 budget revenues will make up 16% of GDP, or 6.9 trillion roubles, and expenses are expected to reach 9.8 trillion roubles, the budget deficit will stand at 2.9 trillion roubles, or 6.8% of GDP. Thus, the deficit will be less than this year's by 1% of GDP. In the current circumstances, I consider this an acceptable figure."

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting of the Government Commission on Budget Projections for the Next Fiscal Year and Planning Period, Moscow, September 15, 2009
10 september
2009
Budget 89

"I am referring to the allocation of 4.9 billion roubles worth of subsidies from the federal budget to four major defence enterprises, which will help them to pay their debts, and keep their production lines and, I hope, their personnel. These enterprises are Uralvagonzavod, the Kalinovsky chemical plant in the Sverdlovsk Region, the Soyuz design and experimental bureau in Kazan, and the Krasnozavodsk chemical plant in the Moscow Region."

Vladimir Putin
At a meeting of the Government Presidium, Moscow, September 10, 2009
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