“Support from Russian citizens has always helped us, and I’m confident that the government’s future line-up will rely on the people. We must never forget about the needs of ordinary people. We must always remember how government-level decisions influence the lives of all ordinary Russian citizens.”
"Russia is certain to remain the absolute leader in gas production and sale for the next few decades. And, of course, we can resolve our domestic energy problems and honour all of our export commitments."
"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."
"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."
"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."
“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.”
"I would like to tell you that the Government has drafted a decision on issuing the next tranche of state guarantees amounting to 36 billion roubles to the Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending. These additional funds should help the AHML to continue to develop mortgage lending, and therefore support people and the construction industry."
"We should also formalise mandatory technical maintenance of technically complicated and potentially hazardous equipment by the companies that produced it. In such complicated cases and regarding such complicated hydroelectric facilities as power plants, we should probably introduce data recording equipment similar to aircraft's black boxes."
"There is one more problem in the Russian power industry - we need to synchronise regulation at the systems operator - power plant level with due account of safety requirements."
"I believe it is necessary to say again that the investigation must be conducted as carefully and objectively as possible. One of its results should be a change in the rules of operating hydropower plants and all other large and technically complicated facilities. The undivided priority should be given to technological safety and the protection of people's lives. The point at issue is to amend industrial safety legislation, and in particular stipulate strict requirements to the workers' qualifications and their personal responsibility."