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.”
“Droughts and other emergencies occur practically every year. The current situation is not an exception. We have been developing mechanisms of protecting farmers against such risks. I am referring above all to insuring crops. Federal and regional budgets allocate sizeable amounts to develop it every year. In 2009 the federal budget will allocate 2 billion roubles. Already 970.9 million roubles, almost one billion, are in the accounts of regions. Moreover, new rules for compensating the cost of crop insurance came into force in 2009. The federal budget reimburses to farmers 50% of their insurance premium.”
“As I have already said today, the general performance of the Russian agricultural sector has been high and even shows a better ability to withstand the global economic crisis than some of the other sectors. Support of agriculture is undoubtedly one of our priorities. The funding of that sector has increased significantly in recent years. We have substantially increased the capital of Rosselkhozbank and Rosagroleasing. The decision to raise to 80% the level of subsidies for part of the cost of interest on loans, including loans taken out to buy fuel and fertiliser, went a long way to help agriculture.”
“Of July 1 fuel and lubricants will be sold to farmers at a 10% discount on the wholesale price. I ask the Ministry of Energy to report on how that agreement is being fulfilled and how the declared quotas of fuel and lubricants are being used.”
“The Government is doing a lot of work to regulate the grain market in order to stimulate production. The mechanism of grain intervention is being used actively. In all, 8 million tons of the 2008 harvest have been procured at the cost of 38.6 billion roubles. That has kept prices at an economically valid level and prevented a fall in farmers' incomes.”
“The gross yield of grain is expected to be around 85 million tons, which will more than cover our domestic needs and will enable us to continue grain exports. The export potential of around 20 million tons will remain through the current and the next years. The Agriculture Ministry says its will be even bigger, 22 to 23 million tons.”
“Upgrading environmental standards, if the industrial facility already exists, should be a smooth process. We should consider the current economic and social environment, setting feasible periods for giving up outdated technology and for dealing with social issues which emerge while industries are upgraded. And we should create new jobs where the old ones are cut."
“Expanding cooperation with public environmental organisations is one of the most important points of the environmental protection measures package prepared by the Government. I guess you already have the draft of this document. After our meeting today, the necessary changes will be made, and I will put my signature on it.”
“We therefore pay attention to environmental programmes in our key strategy documents, including the Long-Term Development Concept until 2020 and the Guidelines for Government Action until 2012. It's about improving the law, measures to reduce industrial waste, waste recycling development and the revitalisation of polluted areas.”
“The environmental-economic mechanisms, many of which were formed back in the Soviet era, still exist today but they are certainly far out of date. The current system of environmental control often falls below world standards. There is no motivation for manufacturers to introduce environmentally-friendly technology or to reduce emissions. In the near future, we need to develop and introduce such mechanisms. Additionally, we need to thoroughly study ways to tighten sanctions for environment pollution.”
“Strict environmental standards force business to adopt modern technology, to cut costs and to save resources. We also shouldn't forget that compliance with environmental standards is a mandatory requirement for accessing the markets of leading economies, those that are most profitable and receptive.”
“We have already introduced special privileged air ticket prices for the local people. They are effective from May 15 to September 15. I believe that we should take the next step and extend the privileged regime until the end of October this year. I have recently signed a resolution to this effect. We have calculated that another 90,000 residents of the Far East will be able to use this privilege.”
“We will also establish new production in the Far East. On July 27, the meeting of VEB's Supervisory Board decided to issue an investment loan worth 5 billion roubles to Sollers. A part of these funds - 1.8 billion roubles - will be used to set up a new car assembly plant in Vladivostok. This will create over 1,000 jobs in the city.”
“We will highlight the development of high-tech sectors such as shipbuilding and aircraft manufacturing. Detailed audits are being conducted at the local enterprises to determine development reserves and solve financing and marketing problems, including export.”
“In April we adopted a new federal programme aimed at creating safe living conditions in the country's quake-prone regions. Within that programme, we have transferred 1.6 billion roubles to the Sakhalin Region alone, and 3.5 billion roubles will be allocated to the Kamchatka Territory.”
“According to experts, some 150 billion cubic metres of gas will be produced in the Far East and Eastern Siberia by 2020. These resources must become the foundation for creating large power generation and gas processing facilities, for developing modern high-tech companies in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Irkutsk Region, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Khabarovsk and the Primorye Territory.”
“The 2009 budget stipulates the allocation of 84.7 billion roubles for this programme, 23.7 billion roubles for energy projects, and 40.4 billion roubles for preparation for the APEC summit. These are huge funds.”
“I have signed a Government resolution that stipulates accelerating the construction of several vital energy projects, such as the Neryungri GRS-Tommot-Maya transmission line for ensuring the operation of the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline (1.5 billion roubles), the construction of the Suntar-Olekminsk transmission line (2 billion roubles in 2009), the use of hydropower and geothermal resources of the Kamchatka Peninsula, and several other projects.”
“This year we must finish clearing up the consequences of the earthquake in Nevelsk. All of its victims must be given new housing and financial assistance, and the city must have a modern engineering infrastructure. I would like to remind you that 9.6 billion roubles has been allocated from the federal budget for the earthquake relief, including 8.8 billion roubles for construction. As much as 7.7 billion roubles was transferred by April 1. As of July 1, the region needed 1,587 flats, and 1,537 flats have been turned over to people. The remaining flats are to be commissioned within the next few days, by August 1, 2009.”
“But I would like to stress that it is first of all the domestic market that will be priority for gas from Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Gas will provide a resource base for the creation of large energy and gas processing facilities, and the development of state of the art and high-tech production operations. This will in turn replenish regional budgets, attract domestic and foreign investments, and boost the development of social services. And, of course, it will create jobs. 100 billion roubles invested in the gas sector will guarantee the creation of 70,000 to 80,000 jobs.”
