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 will make sure that the regions follow the demands of those laws that have been introduced: a faster transformation of the housing sector, co-financing from the regional and local budgets, and focussed and effective use of the resources allocated. We will focus on resource and energy saving, which implies the installation of water, gas and heat meters in houses and flats, because the people must pay only for what they really use, not for what the bills say. Only by doing this will we develop civilised relations between producers and consumers in the housing and utilities sector, raise the quality of service and ensure an affordable level of the tariffs in the sector."
"In medical terms, this problem can be described as a chronic disease of the economy and social sphere. I am referring to the housing and utilities sector. It would seem that these problems are better left as they are, because the people's complaints are legitimate, and the sector has improved, but not much, at first sight. On the other hand, unless we address these problems and discuss them publicly, we will never solve them. We should act in accordance with the Russian proverb, "What the eyes fear, the hands do." We must keep working on these problems, and the more complicated a problem, the more publicly we should discuss ways to solve it."
"Much has been done in the past few years to transfer the sector's enterprises to new operating conditions and introduce modern mechanisms of managing the housing stock and providing social assistance to the people. <...> As many as 79 regions are taking part in the programmes of the Fund for the Housing and Utilities Reform, with 7 million people to improve their housing conditions within these programmes. As of now, 120,000 people have received or will soon receive new flats. By doing this, we will quickly advance toward implementing the goal stipulated in the guidelines for the Government's operation until 2012, when we are to liquidate dilapidated housing."
"The resettlement of people from dilapidated housing and more active efforts to overhaul other buildings implies the creation of over one million jobs in construction and related industries. This is a major anti-crisis measure in the current conditions aimed at combating unemployment."
"Much has been done in the previous years in the sphere of training personnel for Iraq in diverse areas. We also discussed it today. Many thousands of Iraqi specialists had been trained in the Soviet Union and Russia. Today too Iraqi students study at our higher education institutions. Cooperation in that sphere can and undoubtedly will expand."
"Iraq has been our reliable partner for many years, and we have a good history of relations. The last decade has seen a great amount of mutual work between our two countries. We are keen on seeing Iraq flourish, becoming a strong, independent, sovereign and united country. There is much we can do to develop our bilateral economic ties. Our companies have sound experience of working with our Iraqi partners. This cooperation is a very good asset for the future."
"Regarding business and investment links, I think it is clear to everyone that the emphasis was above all on cooperation in the oil and gas field. Here, just as in the power sector, considerable positive experience of cooperation has been accumulated. We have noted the interest of our Iraqi partners in resuming military and military-technical cooperation. These negotiations are already at the stage of practical contacts and I believe that full-scale negotiations may well be resumed."
"We are going to allocate 2.9 billion roubles to one of the largest engine building companies, the Chernyshev Moscow Machine Building concern, which will allow it to retain its workforce of 7,000 people, and ensure the completion of major export orders."
"The electricity shortfall was one of the obstacles to industrial development and the realisation of a series of major projects. The cost of connection to the grid was prohibitively high, and that, in turn precluded the realisation of many long-term investment projects, as I have already said. This issue is particularly sensitive for small and medium sized businesses. In today's crisis conditions, demand for electricity has fallen slightly, and many regions of the Russian Federation are forming reserves. But this is clearly a temporary phenomenon. The restoration of sustainable economic growth is impossible without the development of the energy systems, without deep-rooted modernisation of the aging equipment, without the construction of new power stations and the development of the grid. In 2008 we added two GW of capacity, which is as much as was introduced during the previous two years, 2007 and 2006, together. It is very important that this pace is retained in the coming three years. This requires something in the order of 1.8 trillion roubles of investment."
"You know that we have seen an increase in unemployment, albeit not as fast as several months ago, but an increase nonetheless. Already 2.2 million people have registered as unemployed. In order to make sure we can fulfil our social duties towards those citizens who have lost their jobs, the Government has decreed that 34 billion roubles will be allocated for this. Up to now we have financed these measures with the money that was earmarked for this earlier, but we are adding an extra 34 billion."
"I have signed several Government Acts to resolve the pressing problems of developing healthcare, social services and support for industry. First, as we agreed, we will direct 4.2 billion roubles to the development of blood donor systems across the Russian Federation. Modern equipment will be purchased, which will help blood transfers be as effective and safe as possible, and will also help to deal with its storage. Second, I have introduced changes into the Federal Targeted Programme Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases. We are going to allocate 5 billion roubles, most of which will go towards the fight against tuberculosis. It is a serious problem, and we need to act constantly, in a focussed way. Incidentally in these crisis conditions this has become even more urgent."
"In general, high-tech industries such as space exploration, aircraft building, telecommunications and other industries have acquired great importance in our relations. The most successful and famous example is the creation of the Superjet 100 airliner. We expect that the aircraft will be certified later this year."
"In 2008, our bilateral trade turnover reached $53 billion, which is 50% more than in 2007. Italy ranks fourth among our trade partners. I am very pleased to note that despite the difficult global economic situation, Russian and Italian business leaders are confident and optimistic about our future, and they do not plan to abandon investment projects."
“We believe that the use of force in the world arena has recently been overdone. Instead of conducting unpleasant and prolonged negotiations all too often problems are solved by crude force, and that is counterproductive. I don't think that is the way to act in the international arena, be it with regard to Iran or any other participant in international life, international communication.”
"We are planning to preserve the number of budget seats in the higher educational establishments. This year, they will number 197 for 10,000. Moreover, more students will be admitted to magistrate and post-graduate courses."
"Starting January 1, 2010 the pension rights acquired before 2002 should be adjusted by an additional 10%, plus one percent of extra adjustment for every year of service during the Soviet period - until 1991. In this way, we will more justifiably appreciate the labor contributions of people during the Soviet time."
"If pensioners live in a region with a high cost of living and their pensions are below the subsistence level, they will receive special social payments."
"All in all, we are allocating an additional 600 billion rubles for social needs. The bulk of these funds are designed for the pension and other off-budget funds."
"Last year, pensions grew by 18.5% in real terms. This year, the nominal increase in labor pensions will be over 24%. As we declared, the average social pension will reach the pensioners' subsistence level."
"I believe it is impossible to delay the reform of the pension system and a tangible pension increase."
"The priorities here, as in regional politics in the regions of the Russian Federation should include: wage payment, the creation of new jobs, and fulfilling the social obligations to Russian citizens."
"The volume of Federal support for the regions in the revised budget has been increased by 36% compared with 2008. This help is accounted for in the new budget. In total we have set aside 1 trillion 200 billion roubles for this."
"So, by comparison with 2008 the budget for transport infrastructure development will increase by more than 100 billion roubles. It will rise to 560 billion roubles including 312 billion to be spent on motorways, compared to the figure of 294 billion for 2008."
"We need to develop alternative modes of trade, so that people have a choice: not only the main supermarket chain, but also weekend markets, local shops and so on."
"It should be said that federal budget spending on the national economy has been increased by 70% in 2009, to a record-high 1.733 trillion roubles (it was 1 trillion roubles in 2008)."
"I have already put the 2009 deficit at 3 trillion roubles, which is in the order of 7.4% of the GDP, as I said, but taking into account those quasi - fiscal resources, and above all, the same expenses from the central bank for the capitalisation of Sberbank, other expenses, it will be 8%. Such a sizeable deficit is a strong, effective medicine for the economy, but it should not be misused. That is why our plan envisages a strict programme to lower the deficit to 3% of the GDP by 2011. At the same time we suggest a war on inflation."
"We also needed to support banks- and probably above all - because we needed to preserve the people's savings in our banks and prevent the paralysis of settlements between enterprises. We attained both goals."
"Moreover, the banks that received support managed to increase lending to the real sector by more than 15% over the five crisis months, and issued loans worth more than 1 trillion roubles."
"We had to protect the national currency affected by the flight of capital and declining export revenues, to ward off the attacks against the rouble. We managed to prevent uncontrollable devaluation. As we promised, the decline in the rouble exchange rate, which was inevitable in the situation, was smooth; that allowed the economy and people to adjust to the new realities."
"The current exchange rate of the national currency is clearly boosting the competitiveness of Russian producers in the external and, most importantly, domestic markets."
"The insured amount of money deposited in bank accounts was increased to 700,000 roubles, that funds were allocated for the rehabilitation of ailing financial institutions and replenishment of bank capital through subordinated loans."
"Of course these resources, the total value of which is half a trillion roubles, does not only go to supporting construction, but also towards facilitating the resolution of people's housing problems."
"The President promised that all veterans of the Great Patriotic War would have [befitting] housing by May 1, 2010. I can assure you that we will definitely fulfil this task. By May 1, 2010, all veterans of the Great Patriotic War will have [befitting] housing. We will fulfil this task."
"In 2009 the unprecedented sum of 440 billion roubles will be spent through the federal and regional budgets, the housing agency funds, and the mortgage credit agency in order to stimulate construction and other housing programmes. In 2008 this figure stood at 249."
“This year, defence spending will grow by 15% compared to 2008. We plan to focus on large-scale rearmament and strengthening of the personnel potential in the sector.”
"This mechanism of financial encouragement of the officers who show the best service results was put into operation in January 2009. As much as 100 billion roubles will be allocated for this purpose over three years. As many as 34,000 officers, from company commanders to commanders of nuclear submarines, who show the best service results are receiving such payments, which vary between 35,000 roubles to 150,000 roubles per month. Of course, this is only the first step. I think that by 2012 all servicemen of the Armed Forces should be converted to the new system of payment."
"We will also continue working to solve the housing problems of servicemen. Last year, over 22,000 flats were built or bought for them. The plan for this year is 45,000 flats."
"We intend to seriously develop and upgrade access to modern medical aid. Four centers of high medical technologies will be commissioned, and construction of prenatal centers will be continued. The program for improving aid to cancer patients has been launched."
"As to foreign economic cooperation, we have nearly completed the drafting of the legal foundations for a Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. I believe the Customs Union will be able to start working in 2010, one year ahead of schedule."
"The state is investing more into the social sector and has created favourable conditions for the influx of private investment. For instance, we have exempted a considerable share of corporate healthcare."
"Sports have become a way of life for 22 million Russians. We must double their number, at least. All Russian school students must be able to regularly exercise free of charge."
"The corporate debt has reduced by a third as of today. Our companies have made sizeable debt payments in the preceding months, and rescheduled their debts to $174 billion without Government support. The state has no obligations on corporate debts."
“Today, too we cannot be wholly satisfied with the quality of our market and social institutions. But one thing is certain: The crisis has shown us that these institutions are functioning. They remain stable, displaying their ability to resist destructive trends.”
"Also, and we can all see this, the rouble has stabilised. There is a basis for suggesting that inflation will fall. This means that in coming months we will be able to count also on the fall of the Central Bank rates."
"However, we can be confident that Russia will overcome the crisis. It will certainly maintain its position as one of the world's biggest economies with a large reserve of development, powerful labor, and technological potential."
“We had to parry two blows at once. First, we had to deal with the financial crisis which caused the outflow of capital because Western economies faced liquidity shortages and took away their assets. Speculative capital also started leaving our market. Foreign crediting sources dwindled, too. Second, demand for our traditional export items and their prices plunged.”
"Attempts to exclude Russia from making decisions of worldwide importance, especially in the field of energy, and to ignore its legitimate interests are counterproductive."
"The people often ask whether Russia could have avoided the crisis and all of its negative consequences. Of course not. That was simply impossible. It is an illusion. The problems appeared elsewhere and not through our fault. Although nobody doubts this obvious fact, the problems have affected virtually everyone, including Russia."
"We are satisfied with how our interstate relations are developing. I am referring to both the regularity of high-level contacts and the trend of the development of trade and economic relations. However, I would like to stress that I am speaking about trends only: In absolute terms, the volume of our trade turnover is rather small. We should also consider the issue of diversification. Russia mainly exports the production of the metalworking and chemical industries, while Chile mainly exports food products."
