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.”
“We need cutting-edge, innovative development. Russia must solidify its role of one of the world's largest economies and maintain sustainable GDP growth rates.”
"We have always honoured our commitments. Russia has always been a reliable partner. We told our Finnish partners recently that we are ready to postpone certain decisions because of the current international crisis. We do not want to create any additional problems, and are not going to do it. However, we will have to implement some of the announced decisions, and I would like to draw the attention of all the Government's members to this. We will have to carry them out to protect our national interests".
"Moldova will chair the Commonwealth in 2009. This is a trying time for the world economy and finances. The CIS countries should protect their interests and pool their efforts to overcome the global economic and financial crisis. The Russian leadership is willing to offer the greatest possible assistance to its Moldovan partners in solving those problems."
"Our Moldovan partners have proposed Chisinau as the venue for the 4th forum of the CIS scientific and cultural intelligentsia. We greet this initiative and shall offer it every support."
"We confirm the noteworthy progress of our contacts. Bilateral trade reached $1.3-1.4 billion in 2007, and hit the billion dollar mark in the last eight months of this year. As my colleagues and I have said, we have every reason to expect a $2 billion turnover for the whole year despite global economic problems".
"Generally, we and our Moldovan colleagues have quickly and efficiently come to mutually acceptable decisions of late in the key points of our partnership - energy, trade and agriculture".
"This year as many as 20 regions, that have achieved high results, will receive a bonus of two billion roubles from the federal budget. The regions are free to determine priority tasks for using these additional funds."
"I would like to stress that we are not trying to preach at local governments about the way they should operate. According to the Constitution and the law, it is their domain. They can choose priorities and the pace of reforms independently. However, it is the federal government's prerogative to allocate financial aid to regions in accordance with a local governments' efficiency. And we will certainly take advantage of this right."
"We have been reforming railway transport since 2001. It was then that the federal programme was approved and its main stages outlined. Today two of them have been completed. Specifically, we have set up the joint stock company Russian Railways, and independent operators have agreed to manage the freight market. Today, in the third stage of the reform, the main objective is to lay out a competitive market for both freight and passenger rail service."
"I'd like to refer to a draft law we must examine that will raise pensions. The law provides for a base pension increase starting from March 1 of next year by 8.7%, and from December 1 to 2,460 roubles a month, that is, by another 26.15%. All in all, we plan an increase of 37%."
"I should add that Russia endorses developing CIS integration, including cultural ties. In 2006, we fostered the founding of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation. Today we will decide on making a voluntary donation to the fund. These funds will be spent on joint research, cultural and educational projects."
As we know, Nord Stream company spent a record-setting amount of over $100 million on environmental research. As we have agreed between us, all interested Finnish agencies will receive exhaustive information on the issue quite soon. The decision will be up to relevant Finnish organisations-government agencies and, I expect, public organisations-because we intend to keep in close contact with environmental organisations on a wide range of relevant issues.
"Finland is without any exaggeration one of our most important partners in Europe. Not only because we are neighbours, but also because the figures of our trade turnover suggest this. Our statistics show that in the first six months of this year Russia also became Finland's top partner, ahead of Germany".
"The talks have shown once again that Russia and Finland are determined to make further progress along the road of partnership. We have come to an agreement on extending Finland's lease of the Russian stretch of the Saimen Canal, and have already coordinated a relevant treaty".
"Egypt is certainly one of Russia’s priority strategic partners, without exaggeration. We have a long history of friendship, interaction and practical cooperative work."
"Russia is one of the largest oil producers and exporters, and so cannot stay aside from world price formation. We will develop a package of measures to actively impact the market situation."
"I see small and medium business as a considerable reserve of enhancing the effectiveness of oil industry. Small and medium companies exploit minor and depleted oilfields in many countries, and occupy essential niches vacated by integrated corporate giants."
“Russia has long-standing good relations with the Arab world and your country. We are glad that the process of normalisation in Lebanon, too, is gathering pace, if only little by little. For all that, we realise that the situation in the region remains complicated. We are ready, as before, to do all we can in the economic sphere and in the sphere of political contacts to normalise the situation and to make sure that it moves in a positive direction.”
"I also consider it necessary that the congress should articulate its attitude towards the President's initiatives outlined in his state of the nation address. Mr Medvedev has advanced a comprehensive block of innovations aimed at the development of Russia's political system, as well as state and public institutions. In my view, United Russia should support the President's position and use its political resources to ensure the adoption of the President's initiatives in the Federal Assembly, and, if necessary, in local legislative assemblies."
