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.”
«Undoubtedly, United Russia has to increase its efforts and do everything possible to ensure a better life for the Russian people; I mean here all our people regardless of their political views».
«Moreover, it is my opinion that regions and municipal entities must become key players in the process of innovation development. A turn towards innovation is impossible at the sole expense of the federal government, separate projects and programmes. <…> We must facilitate regional innovation to the greatest possible extent and provide the regions with effective tools and incentives for its development».
“Japan is our neighbour. It is a friendly country. We know about the problems that we inherited from the past. But this is a long-term reliable partner. We should do everything to help Japan in this situation.”
“We need to invest money in order to improve specialists’ qualifications, and we need to think about the future. One of the main priorities is the adoption of modern technology in the industry. The centres must be as effective as possible. We should eliminate the need for patients to wait in line and for doctors to fill in endless forms.”
“The government plans to disburse considerable amounts of money in federal allocations for the development of the medical equipment industry and the pharmaceutical sector. More than 120 billion roubles have been earmarked, all in all, including 40 billion in targeted funding for improving the manufacture of medical equipment.”
“I’d like to reiterate that our goal is to create truly modern medical centres in every sense of the word: from the adoption of high technology to comfortable conditions in the wards. And here much depends on the approach of the government – at both federal and regional levels. It is very important to form strong professional teams by attracting good specialists, doctors, and mid-level personnel. We must do our utmost to make positions at such centres prestigious and to increase the prestige of the profession in general.”
“As part of the new budget structure, we must set priorities more clearly, focus on key projects for social, economic, scientific, and technological development, and ensure the fulfillment of our programmes in national security and defence.”
“The government will approve the terms and parameters of social and economic development for 2012 – 2014 and the guidelines of tax and customs policy no later than late April or early May. In June, we will have to decide on the key aspects of the federal budget, including volumes of revenues and expenses and limits on the budget deficit. The budget must be submitted to the State Duma no later than October 1. We will be drafting the main financial statement as transparently as possible, as we always do. We will attract deputies of the State Duma and members of the Federation Council to this work.”
“We are holding dynamic negotiations with European countries on introducing visa-free travel between Russia and the European Union. The United States has a visa-free regime with nearly all of the EU countries. If Russia and the United States agreed on visa-free travel before Russia and the European Union do so, it would be a historic step in the development of US-Russian relations.”
“I am pleased to say that Russian investment in the United States keeps growing, including in humanitarian projects and in such sensitive sectors as nuclear engineering. All these projects get the approval of the US Committee on Foreign Investment, which is very gratifying. The number of ties between Americans and Russians keep growing in many spheres at a considerable pace.”
“We need market-based and economically sound prices. As I have already said, we have no intention of undermining the economy of our oil companies. But we must rule out any speculation and corporate collusion whatsoever.”
“I suggest that United Russia should propose and execute a special, socially important project to support Russian museums and contribute to restoring sites of historical or cultural interest. War memorials should receive special attention. While moving forward, we must always remember that we are building our future on a strong foundation – the 1,000-year history of Russia, its accomplishments, the courage and patience of our fathers.”
“In 2009 – 2010, the national research universities of the Central Federal District received 5 billion roubles from the federal budget. In 2010 – 2011, they will receive another 5 billion roubles towards improvements. We allocated another 19 billion roubles to help higher educational institutions and private businesses implement jointly developed high-technology projects. Russian companies will be able to benefit from R&D and introduce new products and technology on the market. As for the universities, they will get the opportunity to update their research platforms and provide ambitious and promising work for their employees. We must pay special attention to the following: it is particularly important to attract students and post-graduate students to this work, giving our young people the opportunity to experience professional fulfillment and find their place in the sphere of science and high technology.”
“Science cities, that achieve the best results in the sphere of innovation, complete ambitious science and technology projects, successfully commercialise these intellectual products, and integrate science and production, will be the first to receive money from the federal budget. In modern times, rapidly changing global tendencies require sharp competitive growth in Russian education and science. It is necessary to attract the best Russian and foreign specialists in Russian institutions of higher education. To that end, we are launching a grant support programme.”
“We have to provide greater freedom for leading regions. The stimulating role of federal budget support should be strengthened and financial autonomy extended for those entities that succeed in developing the local economy and modernising the social sector.”
“The first sectors to be converted to new technologies will of course be those that pose environmental hazards. For example, major oil refineries – in Moscow, Ryazan, and Yaroslavl – are located practically within the city limits. Residents reasonably complain about the environmental hazards they present: chimney stacks spewing smoke, inefficient purification systems, etc. Over the next few years a drastic modernisation of all of these oil refineries will take place. Companies will invest about 118 billion roubles in modern equipment and conservation efforts, and harmful emissions will be cut almost by half.”
“Despite the budget deficit and post-crisis challenges, we provided benefits to small businesses engaged in the real economy, high technology, and the agricultural sector; residents of technological development zones; small enterprises operating under scientific centres and universities; and private entrepreneurs providing social services.”
“We understand clearly how important it is to develop entrepreneurship. This is why we consistently work to bring down administrative barriers and get rid of various unnecessary and imposed inspections.”
“We are preparing to adjust social pensions, also by 8.8%, as of April 1. We still have some obligations to fulfill. We will consider what to do next in this field. We can't do otherwise: in most cases, pensions are the only or the primary means of subsistence for the elderly. We didn't let their incomes fall during the crisis, and we can't let it happen now.”
“The law on coal sets obligatory requirements for the concentration of gas at a mine. These requirements are now set by the government. We have also amended the Tax Code. Mining companies now have an incentive to invest in safety. If they do so, the mining tax they need to pay is reduced according to the rate of the safety costs.”
“State inspectors can now suspend operations and dismiss the heads of mining companies for severe violations before a court’s decision has taken effect. I’d like to note that in 2010 over 81,000 violations were uncovered in this industry, and over 8,000 companies and their staffs were fined.”
“As you know, five years ago we began implementing a national project in Russia’s agroindustrial sector and then used this project as the basis for a government programme to support the sector. We have invested over 440 billion roubles from the federal budget within this framework. In total, taking into account regional allocations, 700 billion roubles have been put to support agriculture over the past years. And experience has shown that we have been making the right decisions – these investments are now paying off.”
“Children in rural areas should have access to quality education and modern learning tools on a par with their peers in cities and towns. The national programme for education has played a significant role in making that happen. Now almost all of Russia’s rural schools are connected to the internet. More than 1,000 sets of teacher's aids in subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, and geography have been sent to schools located in out-of-the-way areas. As for small rural schools, we’ll continue to support those that belong to communities with an objective need.”
“I’d like to make is that teachers who live and work in rural areas now have the right to apply for reimbursements on their utility bills. A resolution to the effect was adopted late last year. And, of course, we should do more to promote culture and sport in the countryside and to support rural libraries.”
“Over the past eight years, over 217,000 young specialists and young families have benefited from our housing programmes. Many young professionals based in rural areas have been able to improve their families’ living conditions, with more than 14 million square metres of residential space being provided for their housing needs. An additional 2.5 million square metres will become available in 2011-2013. Moreover, I believe that we should allow farmers to build their houses on farmlands.”
“To be truly competitive, our agro-industrial sector needs high-tech equipment. Today old tractors and combines that have exhausted their service life account for 70%-80% of those in use. According to available estimates, farmers are spending billions of roubles on repairs instead of using these funds to develop their farms. The technical fleet must be reequipped and the scrap must be disposed, all the more so since our mechanical engineers are starting to produce new models and foreign firms are also arriving. Incidentally, we could think about a special programme here, as we have in car making, to encourage the production of modern equipment on our territory.”
“The share of small businesses in Russia’s agroindustrial sector is steadily rising. We now have more than 200,000 farm holdings and over 100,000 individual farmers. The production rate in rural small businesses is growing between three and four times faster than the industry average – I noted this when preparing for this meeting. <…> We have every reason to say that farming has established itself in Russia as a powerful economic and social entity, as a bulwark of the country, and as an important source of development for Russia and for reviving its rural communities and their rich traditions.”
“This country will benefit from the development of the farming sector and from the success of those who want to improve their standard of living in the process. Cultivating land should become a source of pride and of prosperity.”
“Regional and municipal authorities should provide vacant agricultural land to those who want to engage in agricultural production and become farmers on a priority basis. I request that our representatives and supporters in the local authorities be guided by this approach. We cannot allow profiteers and resellers to get ahold of these plots in order to resell them and cash in simply because the land was undervalued on the market. This land should go to those who will cultivate it, for whom agriculture is a livelihood and a source of prosperity.”
“Russian producers are retaking their position on our domestic food market. Despite the hard two-year drought in 2009 and 2010, Russia almost completely met its domestic demand for grain. Russian producers now account for more than 75% of the meat market, and poultry production has doubled over the past five years. If you recall, Russian meat producers accounted for a mere 64% of the domestic market in 2005. And we can certainly be proud of these results. You, the Russian farmers, have made a significant contribution to this success.”
“Our goal is to let the farmers do their business without unnecessary barriers and obstacles and to spare them any unjustified or burdensome administrative, financial, and organisational costs. Everything is important in this respect. We should consider the specifics of agricultural production in agreements on the supply of electricity, heat, and water. We have already instructed the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Regional Development to study these issues in more detail.”
“We must seize every opportunity to reinforce positive demographic trends and support families with children. Every aspect of this work is important, including the creation of new jobs, a flexible tax policy, and the development of healthcare and education. It is our duty to address all these problems, and we will continue to place them among our top priorities.”
“I'd like you to keep an eye on inflationary tendencies so that we can stick to our pledge to raise the payments by at least 9%. We'll make our final decision depending on the current economic situation and the rate of inflation. But this prospective rise cannot be under 9%.”
“Parents and guardians bringing up two children will have a 2,400 rouble monthly benefit, which increases to 5,400 roubles for three children. Families with four or more children will have a 3,000 rouble benefit for each child, starting with the fourth. Both parents or both guardians will be entitled to the benefit. If there is only one parent or guardian in a family, he or she will receive double the benefits, as justice requires. Benefits will also double for families with children who have health problems.”
“The regions are unforgivably slow to substantiate applications for relief, provide estimates, and repair the essential infrastructure. But the regional authorities are not the only problem. Colleagues, we too must work more quickly. The paperwork gets stuck in our agencies for weeks and even months. I call on the Emergencies Ministry and the relevant federal and regional agencies to take stock of the situation and create a plan and submit it to the government with conclusions and practical proposals on how to organise this work for ourselves so those in need of our help not to wait for us to overcome all those bureaucratic obstacles.”
“Since 2006 we have consistently increased our investment in public welfare, education and healthcare, focussing attention on mothers and children. We began with material support for families with children and for pregnant women. We introduced new welfare programs, such as maternity certificates and federal subsidies for multiple-child families, known as maternity capital. We regularly adjust this support as we announced at the start, so it gives recipients ever greater opportunities. Young families get some help with housing.”
“It matters tremendously now to preserve our achievements and prevent regress, to stabilise the demographic situation, and lay a firm and lasting foundation for improvement. This is our objective for the second stage of the demographic policy concept, for 2011-2015. Our top priorities remain unchanged – increased birth rate, circumspect immigration policy and, last but not least, reduced mortality rate, especially accidental deaths.”
“The strategic goals we set for longterm development through 2020 will remain unchanged. These goals are to improve living standards, make the economy innovative, and form effective market and government institutions. Why did we address the period after 2012? We had in mind not only the political calendar but also the premise from which we proceeded in the programme for long term development through 2020 (and it is mentioned there in no uncertain terms) that 2012 marks a new stage in Russia's socio-economic development.”
“Regional programmes must make healthcare more affordable. We have to introduce new standards that can guarantee quality and effective care – including diagnostics, procedures, and the provision of pharmaceuticals. And Moscow should naturally take the lead in introducing these new healthcare standards. We should also eliminate the humiliating need to wait in line. I've raised this issue more than once. The procedure of making appointments and appointments proper should be organised in the most convenient manner for patients.”
“I am asking the Federal Antimonopoly Service to start investigating cases in which companies have artificially raised fuel prices immediately”.
“Today we made a decision, which we agreed upon with you, the oil companies, to extend mandated discounts on fuel and lubricants for agricultural producers. The discount must be equal to 10% of the price of November 1, 2010, as agreed”.
“What we need is not abstract square metres, but the availability of quality residences for people and solutions to the housing problems of real Russian families. This should be the main, basic indicator of the efficiency and productivity of our efforts in this area. This is why we will continue to press with our plans to provide housing for veterans, service members, military retirees and other categories of the population for whom the state has direct obligations – I am referring to those living in the Far North, to forced migrants and Chernobyl victims.”
“We have also adopted a large-scale programme for the development of the medical and pharmaceutical industry through to 2020 and look to the broadest possible international cooperation, expecting foreign pharmaceutical firms and companies to establish production capacity in Russian regions, which is actually being done. There are deserving examples in many parts of Russia. What’s more, our colleagues are interested in increasing their localisation by creating new and prestigious jobs while bringing in advanced techniques and quality standards together with innovation.”
“I can add that we will also keep improving investment legislation, and so I ask the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service to expedite the submission to the government of the second package of amendments for simpler procedures with foreign investors in the strategic sectors. Our objective now is to encourage investment activity as much as we can, making it a key factor in re-establishing the national economy. Foreign direct investments will play a big role here, of course. Russia should be an attractive long-term strategic investment destination.”
“I’m sure you’ll agree that cinema has a high educational potential, and can promote high civic and moral values, as well as mutual respect and tolerance, which is all the more relevant in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith country like ours. As I understand it, some specific proposals have been prepared for today’s meeting, ones related to the construction of new, modern movie theaters.”
“The problems that we will discuss do not attract worldwide attention, are not part of major current events, but they nevertheless concern millions of our citizens. The social well-being of millions of people depends on how we deal with such issues, so they are obviously very sensitive and very important. This work is not heroic, but it requires professionalism, perseverance and consistency.”
“Over the next few years, we'll need to resolve the problem of the federal budget deficit. This must be done by 2015, or even earlier if possible. We also need to increase the return on each rouble we provide. And we have adopted a programme to increase the effectiveness of public spending. In 2012 we will adopt new principles for drafting the federal budget on the basis of long-term state programmes.”
“I'd like to emphasise that during the downturn in 2009 the government provided substantial support to regional budgets. Even though their revenues fell drastically, expenses remained as high as they were before the crisis in 2008. In 2010 the regions received 1.365 trillion roubles from the federal government. In 2011 we plan to allot another 1.262 trillion roubles to them. This amount is slightly smaller than in 2010. This is because we have completed some of the anti-crisis measures already, the economy is picking up and regions are taking advantage of additional financial opportunities.”
“With the new space centre, Russia will become a truly self-sufficient space power, able to launch all types of spacecraft, including cargo spacecraft and space station modules. The facilities of Vostochny will also be used through the programmes for manned flights and missions to the moon and Mars. We hope to strengthen Russia’s position on the global market of space technology and services, where we clearly have a competitive edge.”
