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 have made sufficient loans to our CIS partners. Prospects for a loan to Ukraine are being discussed. We have called on our European partners at recent meetings of various levels to pool our efforts for a joint loan to Ukraine-to which the European Commission responded by saying it could not afford the loan. Does this mean someone is out to exploit the economic crisis to rob Ukraine of its gas piping system? If so, that is a bad way to settle the problem-I know how sensitive Ukraine is on the government holding of gas transport.”
“Monthly payments to war veterans and invalids will increase from April 1 not by 8.5% as planned, but by 13%. In addition, mother's capital and child allowances in 2009 will be increased not by 8.5% as planned, but by 13%. We can say categorically that this is also part of the anti-crisis package because this is our reaction to macroeconomic changes, to inflation.”
“Let me remind you of the main decisions made as part of the tax reform. Fundamental changes have been introduced in the tax administration rules in order to protect the rights of honest tax-payers. The tax burden has been eased, in particular, a flat income tax was set at 13%, one of the lowest rates in Europe. The profit tax, VAT and the Single Social Tax have been reduced. Special regimes have been introduced for small businesses, stimuli have been strengthened for investment in scientific research and innovation, education, healthcare, and housing construction. The taxation system in agriculture has been simplified. Taxes continued to be reduced in the second half of 2008 as an anti-crisis measure. Of course, we will revisit the issue of improving the tax system in the future.”
“In spite of the difficulties with the filling of the treasury it is inadmissible for the tax, customs and any other fiscal bodies to revert to the practice of "terrorizing" business. Their main task must remain the same: monitoring compliance with tax legislation.”
“The deficit problem must be addressed by civilized methods accepted in the whole world, out of the reserves accumulated in the previous years or, if the need arises-let me stress that there is no such need for now - by borrowing in the market.”
“The key role in replenishing the budget is to be played by more traditional sources of revenue, i.e. regular taxes paid by enterprises and individuals. Such taxes are less exposed to the influence of commodity markets and therefore ensure stable budget revenues.”
“We have to proceed from the assumption that the federal budget will report a deficit not only this year but also in the next several years. This circumstance imposes particular responsibility on the Government and calls for a conservative budget strategy that would preserve and strengthen confidence in the national financial system.”
"Let me give you the main characteristics of the budget. The revenue is 6.7 trillion roubles, the expenditure is 9.7 trillion. It is easy to see that the deficit is 3 trillion roubles, which is almost 50% of the budget revenue and 7.4% of the GDP. The amount is considerable but not unmanageable. I think our behaviour under the circumstances is responsible. It has been decided that the entire deficit will be covered out of the Reserve Fund. The figures are eloquent. It is not only about adapting the budget to the new economic conditions. The changes are fundamental, they determine our financial policy in the medium term."
“In these difficult conditions, the Government has adopted a number of additional measures to support the industry. First, it has passed a resolution to allot eight billion roubles to the Khrunichev Centre. I have signed it today. This entire sum will be used to increase the centre's charter capital. Support for the centre means support for the whole industry, considering it and associated enterprises employ about 120,000 people. Second, the Energomash Stock Company will receive state guarantees for up to three billion roubles. Third, 16 of the industry's companies will receive subsidies in the established procedure and will reimburse themselves for part of their expenses on interest payments.”
"We should focus on priority projects and guarantee their successful completion. I'm referring to the construction of the Angara missile complex and development of the new space equipment for navigation, communication, and the Earth's remote probing."
“Therefore, in line with the already determined strategy, we should continue to carry out structural reforms of the missile space industry and streamline its technological and experimental base. As a result, we should be able to greatly enhance its effectiveness and bring its management to a much higher level.”
“I'd like to emphasize that the adjusted version of the budget does not envisage any reduction in the allocations on the missile space industry. All in all, almost 82 billion roubles are earmarked for it under three federal programmes.”
“This year, up to 230 Mongolian students will study in Russian higher educational institutions. We have expanded the quota to this number. We will continue the practice of training specialists for the Mongolian Defence Ministry.”
"Our trade turnover has been growing over the past few years. The leaders of our cooperation, our joint companies, are working well. We have good, promising plans in different spheres, and our main objective now is to create the environment for their implementation. Another objective is to diversify our trade and economic relations."
“Incidentally, we have agreed to grant Mongolia a $300 million loan for agricultural development, which will be paid in tranches. As I said, Mongolia will spend it on agriculture, on this year's sowing season and livestock breeding. This is a tied loan so it will be spent on the purchase of Russian agricultural equipment and other Russian commodities.”
"379 billion roubles have been earmarked for transfers to the Pension Fund and other extrabudgetary funds. We also intend extra banking allocations and extra transfers of 150 billion roubles to the regions, plus loans worth the same amount. Russian Railways will receive 54.6 billion roubles. 35 billion roubles will go for war veterans' housing. 100 billion will go to the reserve. Other anti-crisis measures concern loan interest subsidies."
“What worries me very much about the age group you mentioned is drug addiction. For this region, the Kuzbass, this unfortunately is a very urgent issue. Drug addiction here, especially among young people, is higher than the average figure for the country, much higher. We must pool our efforts here: the law enforcement, administration, public organisations and health authorities must work out an effective plan of joint action.”
"The equipment in the Armed Forces is becoming more and more sophisticated, we need trained specialists, and you cannot become a specialist in two or three months. That is why a large part of the Armed Forces will be manned by contractors, and they want decent salaries and permanent housing. These are costly things and there are many problems there. So, in terms of personnel training for your sphere and training of the workforce for the country as a whole, it is an important problem."
“As regards personnel training, it is one of the key aspects of development in any branch of the economy. Unfortunately, the system of vocational schools set up in the Soviet Union has to some extent gone to seed over the past decades. Currently, attempts are being made to restore it, but this cannot be done without the participation of the industry.”
