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.”
“Only recently, many people did not take the suggestion seriously that Russia could be a viable exporter. We were net importers. Nobody believed that we could sell grain abroad. And yet we have managed to do so by bringing in harvests approaching 100 million tonnes. In 2007, Russia became one of the top three grain exporters in the world.”
“Today the call to “buy Russian” is<…> a reality: domestic products are returning to stores after a period in which imports had wiped them off the shelves. There are still plenty of foreign imports, but the situation is changing. More and more, people prefer domestic products that have an edge in terms of quality and environmental purity and that are natural products rather than some cheap synthetic surrogate brought in from abroad.”
“We are becoming the masters of our own food and agrarian market step by step. All this is the result of the development of the Russian agro-industrial sector – the tangible result of the work of Russian farmers, livestock breeders, and the food processing industry.”
“Come what may, we should switch to state-of-the-art equipment, which will be environmentally friendlier and more efficient. Such equipment demands high-octane petrol.”
“We must realise that attempts to distort history may have extremely serious consequences. In effect, the key principles of the contemporary world order may be put in doubt. This conceals very dangerous threats fraught with unpredictable consequences. The Russian state and our civil society must voice a firm, consistent and principled stance on such issues. This is how we will conduct ourselves.”
“It is our duty to cherish and defend the truth about the war, the priceless experience of allied partnership and genuine heroes, whom time cannot conquer. This is important for all of us, this is essential for the education and moral upbringing of future generations. Support for veterans, the widows of the homeland’s defenders, as well as everyone affected by the war must always be a priority in our work.”
“In addition to that, offshore and inland sea operations will be conducted only by those companies that, in addition to having the requisite technologies and specialists, have sufficient financial resources to prevent and clean up any potential oil spill and compensate for the damage done to the environment and to biological resources.”
“The tragedy that unfolded in the Gulf of Mexico last year is fresh in our memory. We remember the toll it took on the surrounding environment and on people. We need to be proactive and address all the necessary technical and financial issues in order to prevent anything of the sort from happening in Russia. Therefore, I propose to adopt a law listing all the requirements and responsibilities of those companies engaged in upstream and downstream operations in inland seas and on continental shelves.”
“We have big plans for development of the Pacific and Arctic shelves and certain areas of the Black and Caspian seas. <…> Let me point out that all such projects are carefully studied by environmental experts. Our basic requirements for Russian and foreign companies who plan to work in these areas include the use of the latest and most environmentally safe techniques in an effort to minimise their ecological impact.”
“Unfortunately, many pages were deliberately lost from that chapter of history during the Soviet period, and others were re-written to suit a primitive and simplified ideological agenda. We are now gradually reclaiming our full historical heritage, including some of the lamentably forgotten events of WWI. We must never forget those lessons but rather take a respectful and responsible attitude to our common past, without undue idealisation or ridicule.”
“Such large-scale projects as the Year of Russia in France and the Year of France in Russia have captured the interest of our people. A new initiative will start next year: the Season of Russian in France and the Season of French in Russia. Such undertakings help us to understand each other better and cherish our common history.”
“Historically, our bilateral cooperation has always been a positive factor in European and world affairs. Let me add that it has always rested on the approval of our people and our civil societies. We rightly take pride in our rich tradition of humanitarian, cultural, scientific, creative, and simply human contacts, and we are committed to continue pursuing them in the future.”
“A multi-party system is only just taking shape in Russia; the parties are growing stronger, formulating consistent political platforms and looking for their voters. But just as everywhere, a political force that has been in power for several years is a dominant force and bears responsibility for whatever is happening in the country.”
“Front must promote broader public support for decision-making at the federal, regional and municipal levels. The open discussion of major national and regional issues must become the norm for this national club, our front.”
“What is important is for our governments to create the best possible conditions for investment, for the movement of capital in both directions. To achieve this we must use our intergovernmental commission and the business council consisting of representatives of the leading Russian and Swiss companies.”
“Our actions are in accord with the ILO’s Decent Work agenda. We share its main premises and concerns, and, indeed, we are ready to promote them globally, which brings me to a concrete proposal: to hold a high-level international conference in Russia next autumn devoted to the implementation of the principles laid out under the Decent Work concept.”
“In the 21st century, human labour can no longer be viewed as merely a cog in the chain of mechanical production or a depersonalised tool for achieving economic targets. We need to rethink the fundamental role and value of labour. I would go so far as to say that contemporary societies and economies would not be able to develop sustainably if human capital were not given precedence and if conditions were not created for each individual to fully realise their economic potential.”
“We should not just provide jobs but improve workers' professional skills and create conditions for people to acquire new, more needed, more prestigious, and better-paid jobs. Labour mobility must be encouraged.”
"One of its (Government programme “Russian Culture”) main elements will be the development of museums in Russia and the preservation of museum collections. Under the programme, the material and technical base of federal and municipal museums will be strengthened, some of the museum items will be restored, and conditions for the safety and accessibility of exhibits will be created. <…> I think it would be proper to form an interagency commission to ensure the preservation of the museum collections of the Russian Federation."
