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
“The new version of the budget includes appropriations required for the implementation of these commitments. We won't save money on these items. On the contrary, we will increase budget subsidies to the Pension Fund by another substantial sum of 374 billion roubles.”
“I'd like to remind you that last September the Government determined the directions of the pension system's development, and compiled a list of major measures that are designed to guarantee its stability and effectiveness. These include a switch from the unified social tax to insurance contributions, revision of the pension rights of citizens who received them before 1991, and formation of a system of additional support for low-income pensioners, especially those who live in Siberia and the Russian Far East, where the subsistence level is below the average. Put together, these measures should gradually bring our pension system into line with international standards.”
“Monthly payments to war veterans and invalids will increase from April 1 not by 8.5% as planned, but by 13%. In addition, mother's capital and child allowances in 2009 will be increased not by 8.5% as planned, but by 13%. We can say categorically that this is also part of the anti-crisis package because this is our reaction to macroeconomic changes, to inflation.”
"We planned to index pensions on three occasions this year. Seeing that inflation could be higher than planned, we will index pensions four times. Towards the end of this year, by December 1, we must increase pensions by about 30% so that the social pension would be no lower than the pensioner's living standard. We will also continue our programme of support for accumulative part of pensions, and have the necessary funds budgeted for these purposes."
“It is important to help people pay off loans. All in all, 19,000 loans have been taken out in the region, including 4,500 in Novokuznetsk. Major companies have elaborated a whole package of measures to support employees who have taken loans and are losing part of their wages now. The people are being helped to repay them. We are working on this system at federal level. In fact, it has already started working through the Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending (AHML). We will intensify our efforts in this area. A total of 10 billion roubles have been allocated to the agency for this purpose. If need be, we will give it more money by the middle of the year.”
“We have decided that the state will add one rouble to each rouble a person contributes to his accumulation portion. We think this will be an incentive for increasing the accumulation part. Here the main thing is to preserve available jobs and increase wages so that a person is able and wants to increase his contribution.”
"The state cannot afford to keep the entire economy afloat out of its own purse. This is especially true of the export-oriented economy, whose partners are cutting imports. Such support would be a big blunder because we would not be able to cope with our social pledges, about which another colleague has asked, where both pensions and wages are concerned. The money would be squandered to no effect."
"We have not given up earlier announced construction programmes. Work on the Housing Programme is underway. Relevant allocations amounted to 75 billion rouble, if I am not mistaken. We have cut it by 15 billion but are adding another 40 billion out of the Housing and Public Utilities Fund, which we earlier intended to use up in 2010-2011. It's forty billion, just think! We are also working to extend government contracts with the Defence Ministry and for population groups whose accommodation is the duty of the state. We will do it all. As for extra measures, they demand further study."
"What do we need to fight unemployment? We should support industry, so we will do our best to go on with the basic programmes we have. As we discuss the budget, we will get back to federal target programmes and the Investment Fund, among other themes, because the best thing to do is not to cut employment in development-oriented spheres and siphon people into public works with picks and shovels."
"At the same time, we have to acknowledge that we cannot do anything effective in certain fields-the steel industry, for instance. I have quoted it as an example before. We largely oriented it on exports. Now, the foreign market has shrunken, and there is redundant supply. As for the Reserve Fund, it cannot cope with such an amount. It does us no good to pile up plate slabs until they reach the sky. The external markets have shrunken or even closed. Other countries, too, have to cut production and employment along with it. In this situation, it is up to us to give people in their plight a helping hand."
“The ratification of the European Social Charter will certainly make a difference. It will provide additional guarantees for Russians and will encourage our domestic social standards to follow the best international practices. This is very important.”
“We planned to upgrade pensions three times this year: the basic pension was planned to go up by 8.7% starting March 1, the insurance part of the pension by 15.2% starting April 1, and now we'll have to increase it by 17.5%, and starting December 1, 2009 by 26.5% or, if necessary, by 30%.”
“The Yaroslavl region offers an example of a diversified programme. 3.500 people are to be sent for retraining. Several hundred people can move to a new place where they will live and have temporary employment, but they will be entitled to benefits. And another 22,000 people will be sent to a place of temporary work, where temporary jobs will be created for them.”
“If inflation is higher, the increase may be by about 30%, but we should look together at the real state of affairs and raise it by as much as is necessary so that the average size of the social pension is not less than the living minimum of a pensioner. This is the challenge facing us, and we must meet it.”
“Essential amendments to the Tax Code and some other laws entered into force on January 1. <…> First, the tax credit on estate purchase and construction has increased to two million roubles. This law is retroactive, so families who bought housing in 2008 may also benefit from it. Second, maternity capital spending on mortgage payments has been authorised since the second child's birth, while we had previously planned to appoint the start since the child is three years old. <…> Third, children's grants have risen by 8.5%. Last but not least, we have exempted from taxes the greatest possible amount of employers' expenditures on personnel training, health care and housing.”
“The Government points out other opportunities to the public. Persons entitled to grants and soft taxation are welcome to use their benefits, while employers should retain corporate social programmes whenever possible and so not merely help their employees in these lean years but also to invest in the future by creating a basis for post-crisis development.”
“Tax inspections, the Pension Fund and other state agencies, in their turn, should be as quick as possible with considering relevant applications and help the population in every way.”
“Let me remind you that we have increased monthly unemployment benefits to 4,900 roubles, channelled additional 50 billion roubles into the employment service to provide volunteer public works for the unemployed if necessary. The list of such works could be extended, too, but it is extremely important that the schemes really reach the target companies and people - in short, that they work.”
“Employment services must thoroughly analyse employers' layoff plans, so that they don't lay off more workers than is necessary. I am aware of this problem, and I want you to focus on it.”
“Moreover, an additional 50 billion roubles have been reserved in next year's budget to conduct active policy in the labor market. All these funds will be transferred to the regions through the channels that you are already familiar with, but they are designed to fund concrete programmes to create jobs and organise public works. These programmes should be drafted with the active participation of local authorities by February 1 of next year.”
