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
“We must now see that this work continues, attaining our strategic goal step by step. In short, pensions must total at least 40% of a workers’ pre-retirement income.”
"We need a uniform and efficient policy of resolving such problems for the elderly. We need feedback from them. For this reason, it is necessary to tap the potential of non-government veterans’ organisations, which is why, at the January meeting, we agreed to set up a Coordination Council on Veterans’ Affairs under the government. Today, we are to approve a resolution to establish it."
"A comfortable environment for people with disabilities is our absolute priority. We have announced our commitment, subscribed to all international conventions, and adopted the national programme. Now we need to translate those plans into action."
“We are preparing to adjust social pensions, also by 8.8%, as of April 1. We still have some obligations to fulfill. We will consider what to do next in this field. We can't do otherwise: in most cases, pensions are the only or the primary means of subsistence for the elderly. We didn't let their incomes fall during the crisis, and we can't let it happen now.”
“I'd like you to keep an eye on inflationary tendencies so that we can stick to our pledge to raise the payments by at least 9%. We'll make our final decision depending on the current economic situation and the rate of inflation. But this prospective rise cannot be under 9%.”
“Parents and guardians bringing up two children will have a 2,400 rouble monthly benefit, which increases to 5,400 roubles for three children. Families with four or more children will have a 3,000 rouble benefit for each child, starting with the fourth. Both parents or both guardians will be entitled to the benefit. If there is only one parent or guardian in a family, he or she will receive double the benefits, as justice requires. Benefits will also double for families with children who have health problems.”
“War, military service and labour veterans have done a lot for Russia; they have worked for the country their whole lives. We all know very well that common people have lived very modestly, in particular during Soviet times. People often worked without the hope of receiving financial benefits, honouring their responsibilities and doing their duty to the country. Actually, the older generation, our senior citizens have worked selflessly for the benefit of the country all their lives, fighting in wars when necessary. Today these respected citizens have the right to expect us to provide them with decent living conditions, to feel that the government will care for them.”
"We have a programme of incentives for creating jobs for people with disabilities. This year the government is paying 30,000 roubles to employers for each new job. We will continue this programme and further increase the bonus. Employers will receive 50,000 roubles for each new job next year. While we were implementing our anti-crisis measures, I noted that when decisions were being made to reduce production costs, jobs for disabled people were the first to be cut. But this is only one example. I'd like to send the message to executives at all levels that such practices are inadmissible."
"Since 2008, we've allocated 89 billion roubles for programmes to provide housing for veterans, allotting 34.5 billion roubles this year alone. However, to meet all commitments to the people that were put on a waiting list after March 1, 2005, we'll need to allocate an additional 81.2 billion roubles for these purposes by the end of this year. I repeat, a total of 89 billion roubles has been allocated for this programme since 2008, 34.5 billion roubles have already gone to it this year, and 81.2 billion roubles will be provided by the end of the year. It's quite a large amount, and much will need to be done. Please don't put this issue on the back burner; everything needs to be finished in a timely manner."
"We will draft and adopt the Accessible Environment government programme. It will be distributed. Corresponding standards will be introduced in construction, architecture and so on. But I do not think this is sufficient. I think that the term Accessible Environment should include the training of everyone who works with the general public, with the community. All of them - doctors, teachers, and those who work in the social sector - should adapt and be trained to work with people with restricted movement or limited abilities. This is the extremely important, because it creates the corresponding mental attitude in society."
“I would like to draw your attention to some important considerations in the social sphere such as the income level of military pensioners. We need to think about improving the system, especially considering the upcoming reform in the military pay system. It is evident that civil pension increases created a misbalance in the pension provision for military pensioners. I believe it's necessary to immediately increase the bonus payments for military pensioners. Currently the payments are 240 roubles. These need to be increased to at least 1000 roubles. We have assigned 7.9 billion roubles for this purpose.”
“On April 1 we indexed pensions by 6.3%, as we promised, and we must provide funds for this decision. Preliminary estimates indicate this will cost about 129 billion roubles. Another 13 billion roubles will be channelled to finance federal and regional increments to pensions. In addition, we are planning to allocate 92 billion roubles to provide housing for the veterans of the Great Patriotic War who registered after March 1, 2005, as well as for citizens previously dismissed from military service and sent to register on the municipal housing waiting list, which is famously slow.”
“First of all, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the victims' families. We must make every effort to support the families struck by the tragedy. Let me emphasize that this task is for both the federal and regional authorities, and an absolute responsibility of the mine owners: they should certainly realise that it is their responsibility. We must also support those injured in the blasts, who are currently being treated at hospitals here and in Moscow. We must spare no effort to ensure that they are nursed back to health. There is a government decision in place to allocate one million roubles from the Reserve Fund to each victim's family and 200,000 to 400,000 roubles to each of the injured miners. Medical and psychological assistance to the injured and the families of those killed has been taken care of. The most severely injured miners have been taken to the best hospitals in Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation. I would like to hear from you today what specific efforts will be made by the Kemerovo Region government, and what the Raspadskaya owners will do. Please keep in mind that the support efforts should be targeted and not be limited to one-off payments.”
“It goes without saying that our society and the state should do everything in their power so that veterans can enjoy honour and respect and lead a dignified life. In this context, I'd like to say that it is our duty to make sure you always feel the moral support of society and the state. I'm deeply convinced that this is necessary, not just for our veterans, but primarily for our society as such, because all citizens of our country should understand and see with their own eyes that our state will never ignore those who work honestly, and, if need be, fight selflessly for the protection of their Fatherland, even placing the greatest sacrifice of all on the altar of common victory - their lives. And, I repeat, this is a powerful lesson for future Russian generations.”
"I would also like to inform you that I have signed the executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation today providing lump sum payments to veterans of World War II, persons disabled due to World War II, widows from the war and underage prisoners of Nazi concentration camps. A lump sum of 5,000 roubles per capita will be issued in honour of the approaching anniversary of the Victory in World War II. Individuals involved in the war effort on the home front and adult inmates of Nazi concentration camps will receive a thousand roubles each. I call on the Ministry of Finance to comply with this order and issue relevant allocations on time."
“I am confident that the indexation will not distort macroeconomic parameters. We managed to reduce inflation last year and sustain this trend in the first months of this year, which shows that we will manage to meet the planned macroeconomic targets. A responsible policy means, among other things, fulfilment of our obligations to our citizens. Therefore as of April 1, 2010, pensions in Russia are to be increased by 6.3 percent.”
"1 we began the first stage of pension reform, which essentially entails the so-called valorisation, or adjustment, of pensions for those citizens who earned them during the Soviet era. Moreover, now a pensioner's pension cannot be below the subsistence level, no matter where he or she lives. In this context we must resolve another important problem. Together with the regions, we must establish a mechanism for providing additional social payments to bring pensions up to the subsistence level wherever necessary".
"Russians entitled to the Maternity Capital benefit, can begin spending the money from January 1, 2010 for purposes stipulated by the law - buying better housing, paying off their mortgages, and financing their children's education and the accumulative part of their future pensions. As we have promised, the size of the Maternity Capital benefit in indexed every year, and will reach 343,000 roubles in 2010. We have allocated 102 billion roubles from the federal budget for this purpose".
“Regarding material support, the Russian Government will send the families of the deceased 400,000 roubles each and the Perm Territory will provide 100,000 roubles. Consequently, the total value of the support will be half a million roubles. Victims will receive 300,000 roubles out of the federal budget, plus another 100,000 out of the territory's budget. Consequently, a total of 400,000 roubles. Money can help solve many things, but not everything. In this case, far from everything. Therefore, I want to draw attention to the fact that the most important thing right now is consideration for people. We need to provide them with moral support. We need to help the families of the deceased. Let us make do with all formalities and, I repeat, provide them with moral support.”
“Every necessary measure is being taken to investigate the circumstances of this tragedy. The Emergencies Ministry is conducting additional inspections on concert halls, clubs and other similar facilities of mass recreation. This work has started. But the main thing now is to save those who have suffered burns and injuries. Many are in serious condition”.
