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 must change the structure of the energy balance to increase the share of the so-called non-fuel power generation, non-fuel sources of energy such as nuclear power generation, hydropower generation, and other renewable resources. As for hydrocarbons, the key priority should be a deep conversion of the commodities, the production of high value-added output, and the development of modern gas chemistry and petrochemical sectors. The share of power generation should grow to 14% by 2030, and the depth of conversion to 90% from 72%."
“We will stimulate subsidies to balance the budget. Their size will depend on the current share of severance tax revenues in the budget of each particular region. The decision will concern 32 regions, and we will work with each of them separately to balance their budgets. Also, all revenue from the management of the assets of the Reserve Fund and the National Welfare Fund will be transferred to the federal budget from January 1, 2010. In addition, the share of profit which the Bank of Russia will be obliged to transfer to the federal budget will be increased from 50% to 75% in the next three years.”
“We propose transferring the severance tax (mineral production tax) to the federal budget in full beginning next year. At present, 95% of the severance tax is transferred to the federal budget and 5% to the budgets of Russia's constituent entities. In the past, we permitted that minor deduction to the regional budgets, but the decision to transfer 100% of the severance tax to the federal budget will increase it by at least 46 billion roubles in 2010.”
“As you have seen and heard today, a gas pipeline to Tskhinval has been launched today. As I have already said, it was laid in a record short time along a complicated alpine terrain, and rids the republic of its dependence on gas supplies via Georgia. This was also Russian gas but it was supplied via Georgia. Now South Ossetia itself can become a transit country for Georgia.”
“There was no other way of ensuring this stability but to recognize the independence of both republics, because we realized that the current Georgian political leaders will not leave them in peace. It is necessary to establish the conditions for ensuring reliable security for the long term.”
“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Russia is also supporting Georgia. I'm sure you know that Georgia is receiving no small amount of assistance through the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We are an active member of the IMF, and regularly make serious contributions to this international organisation, which are then distributed among the distressed countries, Georgia included. This shows once again that we are not interested in humiliating Georgia, and we are not interested in having losers and winners here.”
"Much has been done since then for developing full-scale relations between Russia and South Ossetia and for consolidating their legal foundation. In September 2008, we signed a Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, and last April, the Agreement on Cooperation in the Protection of South Ossetia's State Frontier. The Russian border guards have assumed responsibility for securing peace and tranquility in the region."
“Russia has appropriated about three billion roubles - 2.8 billion roubles, to be exact - for supporting the republic's budget this year, and another 8.5 billion roubles for restoring the infrastructure facilities. Out of the 8.5 billion roubles, 3.5 billion roubles have been spent. Let's see what can be done in the remaining months of this year. We have agreed with the republic's President that if some funds are not spent, we will not rush to meet the deadline for spending them. The main task is to guarantee the quality of construction.”
"Despite certain economic difficulties, we have kept our space projects on the budget priority list. This year alone almost 82 billion roubles have been appropriated for these projects under three federal programmes. Let me specify that these allocations amount to 58.2 billion roubles under the Federal Space Programme, another 15.3 billion roubles under the federal targeted programme GLONASS Global Navigation System, and yet another 8.2 billion roubles under the federal targeted programme on developing Russia's defence and industrial complex in 2007-2010 and beyond. Thus, the total is 81.7 billion roubles."
"The Government has adopted a number of anti-crisis measures to stabilise the financial position of the industry's individual companies. I am referring to additional capitalisation, and the granting of state guarantees and subsidies. A total of eight billion roubles have been allotted to the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, and state guarantees worth three billion roubles have been granted to the Energomash Joint Stock Company. The Government has also made decisions on granting subsidies to a number of other organisations of this industry."
"Let me recall that our strategic goals in this respect are to make the domestic space industry more competitive, and to more effectively use its potential both for resolving domestic socio-economic tasks, and for entering high-tech international markets. Obviously, we should not forget the industry's role in our defence capability. Defence-related projects amount to 63% of what is being done in the missile and space industry."
"The Government has determined to develop it comprehensively for the greatest possible thrift and effect. As we see it, this development concept will consolidate the state's and mining companies' efforts and cut expenditures. If we establish a common transport network, power grid and welfare system, the job will be quicker and more efficient, and will cost much less-which matters most-than when every involved company builds an infrastructure for itself on its own. Several managers have said so today and, I think, everyone sees their point."
"The Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant is the key element, the backbone of Siberia's energy system. Several regions, the housing and utilities sector, and many enterprises, including five large metallurgical companies, depend on it. I want you to take proper measures to guarantee uninterrupted and stable electricity supply to the cities and industrial facilities."
"At the same time, hydropower plants - this plant and other hydropower plants - produce relatively cheap electricity, and its replacement with electricity produced at other types of power plants must not cause an increase in prices. We all know that we live in a market economy, and it is clear that replacement of hydroelectricity with electricity produced at thermal power plants is possible and will be justified in this situation, but three must be no price hikes."
"In general, we should check all strategic infrastructure facilities, scrutinising the process of their modernisation. This means also the introduction of new automated control systems. However, it is clear already now that we must improve compliance with technical, technological discipline. These issues merit special attention."
"We should draft a clear plan of restoring the plant. This work has been entrusted to the Ministry of Energy and RusHydro, which must use all available possibilities in the sector, such as personnel and research and technical capabilities. The plan is to be drafted and submitted to the government commission within six weeks, and to be approved by a government resolution."
"Our main goal now is to help those who have lost their relatives in the tragedy, and all those who have been affected. As you know, RusHydro has decided to pay 1 million roubles to the families whose relatives have died. This is a good decision, but it is not enough. Payments should also be made to the families of those whose relatives are missing. We know now what happened and why, and nobody must pretend that they don't know the reasons. Moreover, we should make additional payments, including to minors aged under 18. One-off payments, of 1 million roubles, will be made to the families whose members have died in the tragedy or are missing, and one-off payments will also be made to other victims."
"The Government has decided to speed up the construction of a series of energy facilities. I am referring to the Neryungry Thermal Power Plant-Tommot-Maya line and the Suntar-Olekminsk line. This year alone, 3.5 billion roubles has been allocated for these purposes. There must be no delays in their construction."
"We will concentrate only on the north, though larger-scale development will also come up in our discussion. The north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory possesses 67% of Russian natural gas deposits, 60% of gas condensate and 15% of oil. Geological prospecting will go on, and promises more discoveries. 236 oil and gas fields have been discovered for now, and another 63 are being explored. It all makes mere 20% of oil deposits, 35% of gas and 17% of gas condensate. Experts assess summary potential yield as exceeding 115 million tonnes by 2020."
