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 would like the Agency [Strategic Initiatives Agency] we are creating to be as open to society as possible and to become an effective instrument for supporting in-demand projects, projects directed at the confident and sustained development of this country. <…> Genuine economic modernisation and the complete renewal of the social sphere will eventually grow out of thousands and thousands of separate successful projects in Moscow, St Petersburg and all over Russia, projects backed by leaders full of initiative, competent and interesting individuals with promising new ideas and unorthodox approaches to tackling national objectives.”
“The Agency [Strategic Initiatives Agency] must closely cooperate with the regions. In the autumn we must begin creating the regional network, which includes the establishment of the Agency’s offices in the Russian regions. The Agency must control the situation in the regions as well as select projects and people that deserve our support. We must provide equal conditions for self-realisation to talented people, especially young ones, and support interesting projects throughout the country.”
“Russia continues to see growth across all key industries. By 2012, we should fully offset the effects of the crisis. <…> We will need to adopt our first genuinely post-crisis budget and shift our focus to long-term goals.”
“The 2012 budget should provide for drastic increases in payments to servicemen and the implementation of a national armament programme. Let me reiterate: budget funding should invariably reach specific enterprises of this sphere in full and in due time. Please monitor these issues at all times.”
“When we make provisions for such major spending, it’s important to follow a stringent and responsible budget policy. We cannot stray from our course on compensating for the budget shortfall. We should strive to keep a balance of revenue and expenses.”
“We must finish forming administrative regulations by July 2012; these regulations will specify all the details for providing municipal services, covering everything from the filing of documents to deadlines. We must convert them into electronic format to post them on a unified portal of state services. And we definitely need to establish full service centres, where people will be able to get all the services specified by law without waiting in long queues and paying money to different intermediaries.”
“Our common task is to make people feel comfortable in any part of Russia, to make them proud of the cities, towns and villages they live in. That’s the only way to establish a solid basis for the steady development of the country, and we have everything we need for this today.”
“The municipalities must become a springboard for attracting young, committed people to politics. This practice is applied all over the world, let’s help young people fulfil their potential, demonstrate their abilities, and implement their projects and ideas.”
“It is the general plans that provide a balanced accounting for economic, ecological and social factors. We must consider every small detail. Actually, there are no small details. Mistakes made during the initial phase, or the planning phase, may lead to problems as far as ten years ahead as they will hardly be corrected. If a plan is approved, it is expected to be a good document as there were experts working on it.”
“One of the ways to boost the efficiency of local governments is to assign them professional managers. Nearly half of the administrative centres can do so. They enlist the help of so-called city managers. This system is working, and it is working well. Representative officials hire professional executives on behalf of the people. This situation must, of course, be kept under strict control. Their duties must be fully performed. I would like to emphasise that this issue is regulated by the law.”
“What we need is strong and competent local government. It is essential to Russia’s successful development and to opening the vast potential of all its territories.”
“Amendments to the Tax Code will soon be adopted. Revenues from patents will be almost completely passed on to municipalities – some 90% of them, to be exact. According to preliminary estimates, efficient use of the patent system can help local authorities attract billions of roubles, which is tens or even maybe hundreds of times more than what they currently have. So, municipalities will receive a powerful tool with which to replenish their budgets.”
“It [the idea of establishing the Russian Popular Front] enables all people who are not burdened by ideological considerations and are not bound by any administrative, bureaucratic framework to implement at least part of their own goals and ideas. At any rate, this provides them with such an opportunity.”
“I would like to see United Russia come alive with new ideas, new people, new faces, and for many organisations – both formal and informal – to gain opportunities to express themselves and promote some of their ideas and their own people in the municipal, regional and federal power bodies.”
“Language and a country's spiritual, cultural and historical heritage are what define national identity and bind together the people, society, and the entire country. What’s more, in many ways, these form the foundations for state sovereignty. And therefore, I think it is absolutely right that we focus on these issues and take advantage of new opportunities that become available to us.”
“As you know, we plan to adopt the state programme “Culture of Russia,” and as early as the beginning of 2012, we will substantially increase funding for museums and libraries. <…>Of course, one of the priorities here is to support the Russian language – strengthening its position as an international language and generating interest in Russian language, literature and history both among the peoples of the Russian Federation and in other countries.”
“Russian-Austrian relations have been improving, moving into a new dimension of a partnership based on trust. <…> Austrians are interested in working in Russia, which is very pleasant. Accumulated Austrian investment in Russia has exceeded $4 billion; actually, it is $4.2 billion. There are hundreds of Austrian companies working in Russia. We are very pleased with this and will do our best to further develop our business partnership.”
“Our joint response to the crisis, including the establishment of the Anti-Crisis Fund, helped us stall the recession, bring down inflation, and head off a sharp decline in trade between our countries. We did not just promptly develop and implement collective response measures. We also reaffirmed our cohesion as an organisation and displayed a constructive approach based upon mutual responsibility. This only further testifies to EurAsEC’s potential, the importance of its integration resources for securing the interests of our national economies, and their fast and sustainable growth.”
“It is worth mentioning that the Customs Union has already brought about significant and tangible results. Mutual trade between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia has almost doubled since the Customs Union came into full effect last year. The Common Economic Space, founded upon the three states I just mentioned, will be another important step towards promoting deeper integration. By July 1, we plan to ratify the package of documents necessary for its coming into effect in January 2012.”
