Point of View

“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 far as the Housing and Utilities Fund is concerned, it has been set up to achieve several objectives, the key of them is resettling people from dilapidating houses. I consider it possible to accelerate the allocation of additional subsidies to Russia's regions so that local authorities could provide new housing for those who live in dilapidated houses. It is important for us to urgently allocate these funds, two-years limit, totaling 50 billion roubles".

"It is important to attentively look at the programmes for the development of agriculture and milk programmes, and to find ways of preserving grain growth rates. We have every opportunity for doing so. We have big and ambitious goals. They are stated on paper, and their funding is guaranteed. It is necessary to provide this funding in time."

"I would like to remind you that the new law sets out a new order for placing foreign investment in the strategic branches of the national economy. However, they are not closed to foreign investors. Quite the contrary, we are developing transparent and clear procedures for them. Legal approval has been given to a list of spheres in which to gain control over enterprises foreign investors will have to receive permission from the Government Commission."

"Another area of work is concerned with care for the older generation, or war veterans and pensioners. We have spent months, and, to be honest, even years, discussing a model of the pension scheme. The decisions we are going to make are hard ones, requiring considerable budget resources. They must have an effect in the shorter, medium and longer terms and even over a greater perspective, until 2050, to make the reform stand its ground and retain its integrity. We also need to solve the problem of re-calculating the Soviet-era work record of pensioners on a fairer basis in order to give them higher pensions, because most of them are unable to fend for themselves now. The proposal to index pensioner's rights acquired before 2002 by 10%, plus 1% for each year of the so-called Soviet-era work record appears to be optimal."

"I know that for the KPRF one of its main concerns is to keep alive the memory of the war, to support war veterans, and educate the youth in a military and patriotic spirit. I would therefore like to discuss with you the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, which we are going to mark in 2010. By that date we plan to provide all war veterans with housing and special vehicles. The necessary decisions, as you know, have already been made, including by the President of the Russian Federation. Budget financing has been provided."

"Let me focus on the sources of financing real economy. They must be multi-faceted. We should not use budget funds only. Otherwise, it will result in aggravating corruption and non-efficient spending. We need to use budget funds to finance infrastructure, science, education, healthcare and the pension system, and we speak about that openly. These are our so-called federal mandates, our commitments to the nation. These real economy spheres are our priorities."

"As for the Continental Hockey League, I believe that it is not just a sports project. It will make it possible to consider seriously the restoration of a single social and cultural space on post-Soviet territory, because a shared interest in hockey will unite people from former Soviet republics. Hockey was popular in the Soviet Union. If we manage to attract Central European countries to the League, some Scandinavian states, and other Europeans, it will acquire European configuration."

"We intend to make broad use of the opportunities of international cooperation in the struggle against corruption. It is an acute problem for many countries. It should be resolved not only at national level but also by consolidating the international legal foundation, and shutting down channels of laundering criminal proceeds."

"The Russian national office cooperates practically with all Interpol's members. We are going to continue developing such contacts, and actively support international initiatives in Interpol. In particular, I am referring to projects aimed at introducing modern information technologies, forming databases, and training personnel. I would like to note that an Interpol-supervised training centre is already operating in Russia."

"I would like to add that we have started developing a unified federal system called the Electronic Ticket. I have already discussed this with Mr Mikhalkov. In fact, he suggested this idea, referring to some problems with film distribution. We hope that this system will give us full information about film distribution in the country."

"Be that as it may, cinema has always been one of the most popular forms of art. We are pleased that in the last few years, the Russian film market has been markedly on the rise. In the last seven years, the number of Russian films more than doubled, and their share in the total box-office takings has gone up nine times."

"At the same time, cinema's potential as a major instrument of education and building up society's values is not being used in full measure. And this is a subject for serious discussion."

"It is clear that organization of the system of public participation in the production and distribution of domestic films will require a new approach. In this context, we have already made decisions on the allocation of considerable funds to support our filmmaking industry.This applies to films which are aimed at promoting a value system that meets the interests of Russian society and facilitates the strategic task of national development. The Government will spend as much as $2 billion rubles a year for this purpose. We will pay great attention also to the development of films for children, art films, and documentaries."

"Russia is Europe's third largest export partner and fourth largest importer of European goods. Energy is such an important cooperation area that I do not even have to mention it here. It is also our political priority to be considerate of each other's interests, to study each other thoroughly and to help each other."

"We have always proceeded from the premise that this project [the construction of the new Eastern Siberia-Pacific (ESPO) oil pipeline] will create the necessary additional foundation for comprehensive socio-economic development of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. These regions abound in natural resources but need special attention of the government, more money, and higher business activity. This is exactly the project which will resolve this task."

"From now on, returns on pension's savings must outpace inflation. I am referring to the interest-earning capacity of the money that is invested in pension funds. As a result, the average size of the labour pension in 2010 will almost double compared with the 2008 current level. Incidentally, the labour pension - an old-age pension - is to grow even further. By 2020, its average size will reach three times the pensioner's subsistence level."

"As a result, towards the end of 2009, the average social welfare pension ought not to be below the pensioner's subsistence level. From January 1, 2010, the pension rights acquired before 2002 will be indexed by an additional 10%, plus 1% in additional indexation for each year of work recorded before 1991. That is to say, we will begin addressing a problem which has been discussed so much. I mean an equitable estimate of people's work contribution during the Soviet period. Today, their pension levels are unacceptably low."

"Organisations that enjoy special tax privileges will have their increased contribution rates compensated for by the federal budget. This reference is to small-business units operating in the high-technology sectors of the economy. I mean precisely them and want this to be clearly understood from the outset. This also refers to agricultural producers. They, too, will be given special treatment. And that rule will be in effect through the course of a five-year interim period. Within that time, these industries and these businesses ought to be able to adapt to the new system."

"All organisations, regardless of the industry they belong to, will have to adopt the new principles of contribution payment. As I said, business will certainly face extra costs following these changes. But I want to stress that simultaneous action will be taken to create mechanisms to avoid increasing the tax burden on business."

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