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.”
"I don't even need to mention hydrocarbons. Here, French companies enjoy most favoured status. They are expanding their presence in extraction ventures and now will take part in transport. Major Russian and French companies are expanding cooperation to new levels. They plan to exchange assets, starting today. This is very important."
"French companies are increasing their investment in the Russian economy. I told Mr Prime Minister that France has surpassed the United States in this respect, and this is not the limit. We are convinced that Russian businesses will invest much more in the French economy and vice versa. For our part, we will do everything to facilitate this process."
"Instead of the Consolidated Social Tax, insurance premiums will become another source of additional off-budget funding for social programmes. The tax rate will be 26% in 2010, the same as in 2009. The deferment will allow businesses to keep additional resources to help them through the crisis. However, beginning in 2011, insurance premiums will increase to 34%. Even so, certain insurers will enjoy preferential rates until 2015. Who are they? They are farmers, enterprises run by national organisations of people with disabilities, folk artists, small indigenous communities in the North, and the residents of special innovative technological zones."
"The Government is planning to allocate an unprecedented 10% of GDP to fund pensions and other social benefits in 2010. We are spending less than 3% on defence. Ten percent of GDP is a huge sum for any state and by any standards."
"Today we are making a decision on considerably shortening the list of goods requiring mandatory certification. The percentage of items that must be certified will be decreased from 78% to 54%. Let me remind you that this percentage is even lower in European countries."
"We have compiled an exhaustive list of paid services required for filling out legal documents. This list has been more than halved to 19 paid services. Commercial companies can no longer serve as intermediaries in providing these services."
"We are directly prohibiting requiring individuals and companies to present any documents that are not envisaged by the regulations governing this or other public service. Officials guilty of violating this prohibition will be held responsible."
"This year almost 230,000 patients will benefit from hi-tech medical assistance. The figure will increase to 255,000 in 2010. But of course we would like it to be still higher. To remind you, that the figure in the otherwise good year 2005 was just 60,000. In other words, we have seen a fourfold growth between 2005 and 2009. You would agree that this is a positive result."
"As a matter of fact, in ten days, from December 1, the basic part of the pension will be increased by 31.4%. In 2010 pensions will grow by an average of 46%. As a result of the re-evaluation of the pension entitlements of those who earned these entitlements back in the Soviet times, the average old-age pension will exceed 8,000 roubles. We will no longer have elderly people whose incomes fall short of the living minimum."
"In 2010 we will meet all of our commitments to provide Second World War veterans with housing. We will provide flats for all the veterans who need them, including those who did not join the waiting list before the earlier deadline of March 1, 2005. After all, war veterans have earned the right to state support and care with their whole lives, and not simply by making it to the waiting list on time."
"I think it is a fact of fundamental importance that in spite of the problems caused by the crisis we have not renounced our strategic line of investing in man, in the quality of life or the well-being of Russian families. About 70% of budget spending in 2010 will have a pronounced social character."
"We have already embarked on a systematic effort to modernise science, including at higher education institutions. In this we will support and strengthen all that is the best and most advanced. The Government recently approved five-year programmes that would create 14 research universities. They will be financed with approximately 50 billion roubles, with at least half of the money to be disbursed from the Federal Budget. After assessing the available resources we came to the conclusion, very recently, just two or three days ago, that some additional steps need to be taken. Therefore I propose to direct over the next three years a further 90 billion roubles to support the country's leading universities (30 billion roubles every year). That money will be spent to renovate the research and laboratory base, the programme of scientific exchange, to bring the best scientists from abroad, including our fellow countrymen who are currently working elsewhere."
"The Housing Construction Fund must work more effectively. This year alone it has prepared 1,500 hectares of federal land for development on which 6 million square metres of housing will be built."
"We must fulfil our commitments to individual categories of citizens to make housing more accessible and promote buying with mortgages, the most universal instrument used throughout the world. Every effort will be made to maintain the current pace of housing construction. Modern housing standards should be introduced. The outdated prefabricated "boxes" should be replaced with comfortable, energy-efficient and environment-friendly homes, including low-rise houses. Unfortunately, we have not been paying enough attention to that topic. What we need is essentially a programme of large-scale construction of inexpensive housing. Its share in the total housing stock is now about 5%. It should be brought to 25%, let me stress, not less than 25%."
"Traditionally the defence industry complex has been one of the drivers of technological progress in Russia. That role should be greatly strengthened and Russia should be guaranteed independent access to critically important defence technology. The Government has identified support of the defence industry complex as a key element among anti-crisis measures. The steps that have been taken have proven effective. I mentioned the overall slump in the economy, which is regrettable, but the defence industry has registered a growth of about 4% during the year. This is the result of Government support more than anything else. In 2010 the state defence order will be increased by another 8.4% to 1.175 trillion roubles."
"Construction norms and standards need to be updated very soon. We cannot afford to carry out multibillion rouble infrastructure projects based on 1970s standards which are unreasonably costly. That amounts to squandering resources."
"To save money and do away with corruption it is necessary to introduce electronic tenders in concluding state contracts for infrastructure development. Objectively, we are prepared for it; there is nothing that stands in the way. All we need to do is to do it. Some regions are already doing it: in Tatarstan Sberbank is doing it and Moscow is doing it. We should move forward more vigorously."
"It is time for business to start working in a different way. Unfortunately, many are used to following a simple rule of thumb: squeeze everything out of outdated equipment and incur debt in the hope that the government will come to the rescue and eventually pull them out of this pit. This mentality - the mentality of time-servers - is not one that can build a modern economy. At the legislative level it is necessary to formulate requirements that would induce business to seek to improve its effectiveness day in and day out."
"We should come to terms with the premise that the key factors of development in the coming years will be internal resources: the optimisation and retrofitting of industry, increasing labour productivity and an effective employment structure. Infrastructure monopolies and major companies with government participation must adopt internal programmes aimed at achieving an international level of efficiency and standards of transparency that shed the risk of corruption."
"We will continue implementing targeted measures aimed at further reconstruction and post-crisis development of the economy. We propose to concentrate on the following key areas: First, we must ensure the stable operation of systemically important enterprises, driving forward the programmes of their technical renewal and modernisation. Second, stimulate hi-tech exports. Third, develop housing construction. Fourth, support internal demand, including the most important and embattled industry, the automobile industry. And of course, there is the challenge of unemployment and the problems of single-industry cities."
"In order to move forward we must clean up the economy of hopelessly outdated and wasteful production facilities, identify and support a genuinely competitive nucleus in the real sector of the economy. We have such a nucleus."
"Of course, 14.5% - an average interest rate on mortgage loans - is too high for many people. Incomes in Russia are not high enough to meet these loan requirements. For mortgage to become affordable for a broad range of people, we should lower the interest rate to 10%-11%."
"You know that pension funds are used in all countries as an instrument and a source of long-term loans, which is crucial for mortgage lending. Given the volume of saving, including the funds managed by Vnesheconombank, we could think about using these instruments in Russia, although very carefully and with maximum guarantees. VEB is currently managing 690 billion roubles ($24 billion) of pension accruals. A month ago, the Government approved a new strategy for investing pension accruals managed by VEB. Up to 20% of these funds, or some 100 billion roubles ($3.5 billion), can be invested in mortgage bonds of Russian banks."
"Since the beginning of the crisis, we have allocated ample funds to the defence industry, one of the government's top priorities for support. In 2009, the defence industry received a total of 970 billion roubles, an unprecedented sum in the history of modern Russia."
"The defence industry has grown by 3.8% since the beginning of this year. this was made possible because the Government properly honoured its commitments, primarily its contracts to purchase weapons. I would like to remind you that according to our plans, the share of cutting-edge weapons and equipment in the military must be significantly increased, reaching 70-80% by 2020."
"You [ the Russian Geographical Society] can do much to teach the younger generation to protect and respect Nature and Russia's cultural and historical heritage. The experience and knowledge of geographers can be used to draft educational programmes and to help youth associations."
"We have made the first steps to the so-called green economy and sustained development. We have formulated strict energy efficiency guidelines. The government's development guidelines until 2012 and for the period until 2020 stipulate a series of nature protection and other environmental initiatives. Our goal is to fight pollution, rehabilitate land, and protect water and forest resources."
"Support must be provided primarily to well established and competitive companies as a part of anti-recessionary measures and other government support programmes. We should avoid keeping inefficient production facilities afloat at all costs. It is necessary to prevent companies in this industry from taking advantage of their position as a monopoly as early as possible. This applies mainly to production facilities that became infrastructure monopolies back in the Soviet times and then developing as integrated production facilities."
"However, the Russian petrochemical industry has one great competitive advantage: It has a unique resource base. Russian and foreign investors see significant potential in the industry. Modernising it will not require massive government support. It is true that infrastructure support and legal maintenance are required, with state guarantees sometimes needed as well. But these are cost-effective measures, and it is easy to find financial resources in the market."
"Russia accounts for 9-10% of the world's crude oil exports. However, the Russia's export share for high-technology conversion products such as polymers stands at only 1%. Moreover, imports account for over a third of domestically consumed petrochemical products. Simply put, we export crude oil and import final products, which are often produced from Russian crude. This doesn't mean that we must close the Russian market to imports. The situation must be changed in the industry, and we must create conditions for increasing exports of products with high added value."
"We are determined to step up cooperation in advanced technologies and science, including in purely scientific areas such as the International Laser and Cyclotron Centres currently under construction in Bratislava. We welcome the Slovak Government's decision to continue this project and ensure that it receives proper funding. For our part, we will do everything possible to complete this project successfully."
"Increasing work on infrastructure is also on our agenda. Possible projects include extending the railway from Kosice to Bratislava, with a branch to Vienna. <…> This project involves one more country: Ukraine. <…> The project has been progressing at a good pace so far. We have noted Prime Minister Fico's remark that this project is critical for Slovakia, not only in terms of building a railway but also due to the possibility of expanding the country's transport capabilities, which means increasing the capacity of ports and airports, directing cargo traffic through Slovakia to southern Europe, and using the transport capabilities of Slovakia proper. This issue will be thoroughly discussed and implemented as a part of a wider programme."
"Until recently, trade between Russia and Slovakia was distinctive for its positive growth, increasing more than threefold within the past five years. The global financial and economic crisis has certainly affected trade, and this year it will face a considerable decline. There is only one solution: We must restructure our trade and economic cooperation, and decrease its dependence on external conditions. This can be achieved by expanding business connections, investment partnerships, and cooperation in high-technology industries."
"Russia will continue supplying oil to the Slovak market and transporting it through Slovakia. In this respect, the project to extend the Druzhba oil pipeline from Bratislava to the refinery in Schwechat, outside Vienna, appears especially promising, although it requires further study by all those concerned."
"I have just discussed the Pedagogical Researchers national target programme with the Education Minister. Some money from it can be used for grants for young teachers-for instance, a thousand two-year grants, worth half a million roubles apiece, or 250,000 roubles a year. But let me repeat that only a portion of young teachers will qualify."
"Teachers need not only basic education, but also continuing postgraduate education that takes into account their personal needs and the specific situation at their schools. That is why it is essential to modernise education for teachers, in order to give them access to all the latest achievements of pedagogical sciences and all available technologies. Teachers' websites, online forums to discuss teaching methods, and everything else that helps teachers deserve our every support. These matter the most to teachers in rural and remote areas."
"Schools should be able to attract the most skilled individuals, who want interesting and highly sought after jobs with clear career prospects and good remuneration. The Russian regions are introducing a new system of funding for schools based on the number of pupils. It promises a notable increase of teacher's pay, mainly for the most experienced teachers."
"Education opportunities at Russian schools have increased considerably as of late with new computer classes and the installation of up-to-date equipment. In fact all schools, even rural schools, have been computerised and given access to the Internet."
"South Stream is becoming truly pan-European and a major energy project. We signed a concluding agreement with all the European partners that are necessary for the implementation of this project."
"Even though not everyone may like it, we live in a unique time, which is characterised by cross-cultural exchange. Those of us in politics and economics call this era of global cross-cultural exchange. The same thing is taking place in popular youth culture. But what we have seen today is not merely mass culture, but something individual that requires great skill and creativity. In my view, any phenomenon, regardless of its national origin and name, always deserves the support of society and the state if it meets two criteria: first, if it requires talent, and second, if it requires creativity."
"We must encourage the construction of affordable, comfortable, energy efficient, eco friendly housing. We could make low-rise construction one of our priorities. It is essential to develop an industry of building materials and introduce relevant technology. We must adopt standards and determine the price range of economy-class housing as soon as possible. Smart general plans for property development will help reduce the costs of housing construction."
"We must pull our people out of the slums. This is one of our major social and political tasks. This is simply our duty to our citizens who still live in such miserable conditions."
"Housing is one of the most important economic and social issues. It has remained more urgent in Russia than in any other civilized country for decades.The provision of housing for war veterans and army servicemen is a priority, and as we have promised, we will do everything in 2010 to fulfill these government commitments."
"Russia has never and will never, I would like to draw your attention - will never - disrupt supplies. Transit country problems are alone to blame for whatever disruptions there are, but I rely on Ukraine-our partner, friend and main transiter-to comply with its contractual obligations in conformity with last January's agreement. There is a contract for natural gas supplies to Ukraine and another, with a ten year term, for Russian natural gas transits to Europe. Every obligation is to be complied with. Russia will not be the cause of any problem if the transit countries are true to their pledges."
"Extending the Druzhba (Friendship) Pipeline is also bound to promote our energy cooperation. We discussed this idea in detail today. I am referring to the branch of the pipeline from Bratislava to the oil refinery in Schwechat, near Vienna. Our Austrian and Slovakian partners will work together on this project. This will require a certain amount of effort on our part as well as additional study, but we are ready to work together."
"Despite the reduction in trade, Austrian investment in the Russian economy has remained steady. By the beginning of this year, it amounted to almost four billion dollars. We welcome the efforts of Austrian businessmen to continue to expand their presence in the Russian market."
"The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics also require us to improve border infrastructure, including by constructing, rebuilding and reequipping checkpoints on roads and railways, and along waterways and air traffic routes. Providing checkpoints with up-to-date communications systems and a new generation of passport control equipment for the Olympic Games is also a high priority. We must ensure that participants of and visitors to the Olympic Games can cross our borders quickly and easily."
"Highly complicated processes in terms of administrative, financial and law enforcement issues. This Union faces many challenges. I think all of you clearly understand that if we eventually manage to bring this work to its logical end, this will be the first real instance of integration in the post-Soviet space. For its part, the Russian Federation is prepared to go its part of the road and fulfil all of its commitments."
"The required level of APG utilization should be no less than 95% by 2012. Oil producers that do not fulfill this requirement and continue to burn it off in flares will have to pay huge fines for excessive air pollution. Oil companies must also have positive stimuli for developing APG processing. For example, electricity generated from APG could have priority access to the country's power grids, which would encourage oil producers to invest in the construction of new generating capacities."
