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
“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.”
"As for the banks' demands of early clearance of mortgage loans, it is basically a civil law issue. If your loan agreement contains a recapture clause stating that, if the collateral value drops, the bank has the right to require additional collateral amount, then the bank's demand is formally legitimate. Usually banks ask their clients to repay part of the principal loan. However, banks really shouldn't be doing this, because they end up with the same problem as their borrowers: property as collateral. The bank won't be able to liquidate an apartment easily now."
"I think the Government could issue state guarantees to banks through the Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending. The banks could use these guarantees to solve their financial problems rather than "terrorise" their customers. I think it would be the best solution for all."
“I expect the reforms that have been planned and are being implemented in the armed forces will certainly influence our defence capability - for the better, by improving it. This is why we are doing it. As for the dismissals you mentioned, we are not planning mass layoffs. Moreover, only the officers who are slated for retirement - the first category - will be dismissed in 2009. The second category includes officers conscripted for two years after finishing military training at civilian higher schools, whose conscription period is ending.”
“Now to the housing problem. In 2010 all officers are to be provided with permanent housing, and all servicemen will receive service housing in 2012.”
“We need to get rid of monopolies on the market, which prevent airlines from buying jet fuel at market, not inflated prices. We will continue to address this problem persistently.”
“We have allocated an additional 10 billion roubles to cover the price gap in the fuel sector. If necessary - we have coordinated the issue with the Agriculture Minister, who maintains contacts with agricultural producers - we will analyse the result and possibly increase allocations in the first quarter of next year. We have also allocated additional funds for fertilisers.”
"To support the industry we allocated 175 billion roubles. These are long-term loans which must be directed to production or service-based businesses. At the same time, we will demand from the banks that they report to us on three sectors to which they are going to lend money. What are these sectors? These are farming, the defence industry and small and medium-sized businesses, as well as a long list of enterprises which we recommend."
“We will allow airlines, first, to buy such aircraft as our industry will not produce and, second, to lease the aircraft our industry plans to manufacture. We will lease foreign-made aircraft and will return them as soon as we start producing the aircraft of the same quality, noise and fuel standards.”
"We will not allow leaps in the economy and sudden changes in the exchange rate of the national currency. To secure the interests of both the citizens and the economy we will, if necessary - and we have done so before - we will carefully use the gold and currency reserves and the other funds at the Government's disposal."
"Regional budgets will receive an additional 0.5% of federal profit tax proceeds, or 50 billion roubles ($1.8 billion). These allocations will also be channelled into regional budgets. Moreover, regional budgets will receive 100% of petrol, oil and lubricants excise tax proceeds. The latter system will apply in all the Russian Federation's constituent entities and will account for another 53-54 billion roubles ($1.9 billion). As I have already said, these measures are expected to channel another 110-120 billion roubles ($3.9-4.3 billion) into regional budgets."
“The overall cost of the project discussed here, the YaMZ-530, is 13.4 billion roubles. In effect, this amounts to the construction of a new modern plant that will produce next-generation engines. The project's implementation will create 1,200 jobs in the Yaroslavl Region.”
“A package of measures has been drafted to support Saturn. First, its debts will be refinanced. Our Foreign Trade Bank will spend about 10 billion roubles to this end. Second, the Rosnanotekh Corporation (a state-run nanotechnology corporation) is prepared to implement together with Saturn a project to produce modern nanomaterials and products that incorporate them. The total investment will be one billion roubles, half of which will be contributed by Rosnanotekh. Finally, we should secure the sales of Saturn's produce to its key customers - the Defence Ministry, airline companies, the United Aircraft Building Corporation, the power industry, and Gazprom.”
"Obviously, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to resolve these problems without the state's participation. It is also important for public companies with experience in high-tech machine building to increase their contribution to Saturn's development. In this context, the owners have agreed to sell almost all shares of the enterprise to the Oboronprom State Corporation. Packages of shares of the private owners will be purchased on a commercial basis, and at market prices."
"The Government is now working on a package of legislative acts to simplify access for small businesses to electric power grids. The idea is to fix a lower connection tariff for small facilities and introduce an instalment payment plan. We also need to organise a control system over grid companies to make sure they observe all the established connection rules."
"Wherever advisable, businesses should be allowed to buy out the properties they hold on the most beneficial terms possible. For example, payments should be spread out over a period of at least three years. Secondly, small and medium-sized businesses should gain real access to municipal and regional orders. I am talking here about businesses that are run efficiently, not the ones that have the protection of local officials."
“Polls show that large numbers of people, especially among young people, seek to try their hand at creating their own businesses. In the ultimate analysis, it is such energetic and purposeful people that must form the core of a large middle class in this country. And the state's task is to help them realise their potential, build a reliable future for their families, and create new jobs.”
"In 2009, the federal budget will allocate considerable resources in support of small businesses - 10.5 billion roubles. A further 30 billion roubles will be channelled through the Development Bank. I want to stress: control over the purposeful and effective use of these funds will be extremely strict."
"The first priority, however, is to protect the rights of investors, to form a system to compensate citizens for the damage caused by bad-faith actions of market agents. Attempts to use insider information and manipulate the market should be stopped."
"For Russia to position itself as an international financial centre, further steps will be needed. For example, the adjustment of tax legislation, streamlining of the visa requirements for businessmen, and the creation of a comfortable infrastructure for the work of financial companies."
