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.”
"Recent years have seen excellent contacts between the Church and the state in every field of our partnership, which concerns spiritual support by the Church and material support by the state. On the other hand, it is our shared concern, and it is the state's duty, to pay its dues to all our churches and denominations. We have really done a great deal to promote the Church Renaissance. At any rate, we have helped the Church to re-establish its material basis with church construction and revival of monasteries."
"It is thus our duty to protect Russian manufacturers. We are doing it ever more actively, and we also protect Russian consumers, considering the high import prices. In this, the principles we proceed from should be simple enough for everyone to understand. We should merely support domestic agricultural development. We cannot cut off the domestic market from imports-or the prices of staple foodstuffs will skyrocket."
"The overall volume of our trade and economic relations is growing, yet it remains rather modest in absolute figures. There are attractive venues for potential cooperation, not only in the energy sector but also in tourism, high technologies (including space exploration and nuclear power generation), and investment."
"I also think that prices for medical services are growing inadmissibly despite the change of the rouble rate because we are importing many medicines or their ingredients. Still, I do not think the price rises are well grounded. There are several fields in which we should improve our work. The most important task is to streamline the mandatory health insurance system. We will make relevant allocations and develop our own pharmaceutical industry and health services."
"As for complicated and expensive surgery, we are increasing the number of state-paid operations-but clearly, Moscow, St Petersburg and other major cities cannot cope with the entire Russian population. So, there is a programme for the construction of high tech health centres in Russian regions. Some of them are working already. We will implement this programme despite financial problems. It envisages cancer and heart treatment."
"At the same time, I think it is possible to offer the necessary government guarantees - a little over 4 billion roubles - to fully reschedule GAZ debts to its creditors. The state must act as a guarantor. I hope this measure will help the enterprise get out of the current situation and gain the necessary momentum for the future."
"State guarantees will also be extended to KAMAZ and Sollers, 4.6 and 5 billion roubles, respectively, in guarantees of investment programmes and projects."
"First a few words about VAZ. Based on the preliminary analysis of the situation and the discussion today, I think we can afford to allocate 25 billion roubles to redeem earlier credits to restore the current solvency of this enterprise through Rostekhologii Corporation. The money will be disbursed as the material contribution and then transferred to AvtoVAZ as an interest-free loan."
"I also believe it is possible to restructure AvtoVAZ debts to the federal budget - that is, allowing it to its tax arrears not in 2009-2015, but in 2011-2017. As I said today, it would save the enterprise about 1.5 billion roubles. The same measure may be taken with regard to ZIL, in which case said company would save 800 million roubles."
"In fact, a decision has been made in principle to step up work on leasing schemes in the procurement of automobiles by government institutions. We have just heard that the work to create a specialized leasing company for the Ministry of Transport has been completed. I hope that it will start working and placing orders and will hold the relevant tenders in the near future."
"The legal framework is already in place for launching the programme of subsidizing interest on loans for purchasing domestically-made cars priced up to 350,000 roubles. I am referring not only to the traditional Russian brands, but also to foreign cars assembled in Russia."
"The construction of a car assembly plant in the Far East. <...> In order to build that enterprise, access to "long money" is needed - for example, by issuing bonds in the market. This topic was also discussed today. We will in every way support the relevant proposals of the Central Bank. All these measures will hopefully combine to play a positive role."
"In February of this year the Government allocated an additional 12.5 billion roubles for centralized procurement of automobiles for government needs. We have just been talking about it and I would like to stress - and I am appealing to the heads of government bodies present here - that all the plans must be fulfilled in short order. Everything must be done by the middle of April."
"The other day the Government approved the procedure for the distribution of state subsidies for the purchase of transportation and utilities technology for the needs of the regions and municipalities. As one executive of the Ministry of Regions said, in April the subsidies are to be disbursed and tenders to procure automobiles through the regions must begin to be held."
"The conference today will be attended by the heads of a number of ministries and departments, who will report on the dates for the tenders to buy different classes of vehicles for government needs, including from your company. In all, we have approved the allocation of an additional 12.5 billion roubles for these purposes, and now we will discuss reasons for procrastination. The tenders will be held now, which means that part of your output will be sold."
We have also allocated 20 billion roubles from the federal budget and expect to attract 10 billion roubles from the regional budgets for the acquisition of automobiles for the regional and municipal authorities, including the Interior Ministry, healthcare, municipal authorities, etc.
"The auto industry is very sensitive to demand trends, so our main decisions were aimed at putting together the necessary package of orders for the enterprises and ensure their financial stability. Today we noted that for some segments of the automobile industry, the government order is critical."
"I will begin with the general measures, not only regarding the country as a whole but mainly regarding the Samara Region. We have decided to allocate 700 million roubles to maintain employment. The Government of the Samara Region will also allocate some funds. A total of 300 million roubles will be allocated for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. 103,000 people work a the head plant of AvtoVAZ, and over 200,000 people work for small and medium-sized companies that are connected with your firm. Therefore, these allocations to small and medium-sized businesses should have a positive effect also on AvtoVAZ."
"We are committed to privatising excess state property. At the same time, in present-day conditions it is vital to ensure that the privatised assets are properly valued. Even allowing for the crisis we should not sell government property below market price."
"Public property should be used exclusively for the benefit of the entire society and help to tackle national challenges rather than enrich certain individuals or, as we used to say, "a group of comrades". In this connection we have decided to reduce substantially the number of the so-called Federal Unitary Enterprises, or FGUPs. Last year their number was cut by 40%."
"Several years ago the share of companies with government stakes where we did not have a controlling stake was as high as 77%. Now it is 39%, and, as decided, we are gradually shedding excessive assets that are not needed for performing public functions."
"Irrespective of anything we should do, our utmost aim must be to maintain people's living standards."
"The number one task today is to maintain the work collectives and, where possible, occupy people by retraining with a view to upgrading the technological level of their enterprise. All my meetings with people who have a responsible attitude to their work have demonstrated to me that they are aware of this. Everyone should be encouraged to behave in a socially responsible manner."
“The whole point of our measures to support the labour market, including the allocation of 43.7 billion roubles, is to support specific enterprises that are taking measures to preserve jobs or retrain their workforce for the future. Number one. Number two is the most important thing. Irrespective of anything we should do, our utmost aim must be to maintain people's living standards. We must work together to find the instruments and methods of solving that difficult task in the current conditions.”
“[Trade unions] should immediately respond to any violations of labour legislation, such as failure to honour commitments to employees during lay-offs, deliberate delays in the payment of salaries, leave allowances and other benefits. Regrettably, off-the-books salaries have again become reality. Off-the-books wages not only rob the budget. I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that they violate labour and future pension rights of employees. They don't always pay attention to details, and are happy to receive off-the-books wages, which are even a bit bigger. Usually, nobody thinks of the future, and that is wrong. I think that trade unions should prompt people on such issues.”
“I'd like to add that on a par with increasing unemployment benefit to 4,900 roubles, we have changed the order of declaring people unemployed. Now those who have quit their jobs of their own free will are also entitled to unemployment benefits. This new provision should also strengthen legal guarantees of citizens.”
"To help people who have lost or are about to lose their jobs, we are launching regional employment programmes that are funded by the federal budget by 95%. We believe that regional and local municipal budgets should also contribute to this effort. However, realising that the incomes of the regions will also decline, we have decided to finance these undertakings almost fully. A total of 43.7 billion roubles have been allocated from the federal budget for this purpose."
“We are planning to create about a million temporary jobs. Over 220,000 people will be able to retrain or get help in opening their own businesses.”
“People in different places, including some employment centres, have made it obvious to me that it is not enough to give money to open a business. Companies that lay off employers should help them set up small businesses near big organisations, or municipal authorities should meet them halfway and timely lease space to them, help them connect to utilities, and so on and so forth. We will talk about this, too.”
“The planned programme for the development of the pension system is our absolute priority. We must start implementing it in 2010, although we are already taking the required measures to create the conditions for its full-scale implementation.”
“As you know, starting on March 1, the basic part of a retirement pension has been increased by 8.7%, as we have promised. It will be adjusted once again before the end of this year and will grow by another 31.4% starting on December 1. I have already signed the Government's Resolution on increasing the insurance part of the pension by 17.5% starting on April 1 of this year. In August, it will grow by another 7.5%. Consequently, as we have planned, by the end of the year the average social pension will not be below the subsistence level.“
“The new version of the budget includes appropriations required for the implementation of these commitments. We won't save money on these items. On the contrary, we will increase budget subsidies to the Pension Fund by another substantial sum of 374 billion roubles.”
“I'd like to remind you that last September the Government determined the directions of the pension system's development, and compiled a list of major measures that are designed to guarantee its stability and effectiveness. These include a switch from the unified social tax to insurance contributions, revision of the pension rights of citizens who received them before 1991, and formation of a system of additional support for low-income pensioners, especially those who live in Siberia and the Russian Far East, where the subsistence level is below the average. Put together, these measures should gradually bring our pension system into line with international standards.”
"At the same time, I'd like investors to understand that neither crisis phenomena nor red tape should cause delays in starting the construction of facilities. Mr Kozak has received instructions on this matter."
"I hope that Sochi residents will not allow anyone to use the Olympic project for one's own ambitions, which have nothing in common with their interests. I believe that the leaders of the territory and the city's acting mayor should pay serious attention to this."
“I think the document we are referring to is unprofessional and insufficiently thought out, to put it mildly, because one cannot be serious in discussing such matters without the principal supplier's participation. The document also says that the volume of pumped gas should be the main incentive for lucrative investments. This is natural, since transit fees are a means of paying back the loan, but has anyone asked our opinion as to whether we can cope with such volumes of gas in the future, or whether we will do so?”
"What matters most, I stress, is that there is no way to arrange an increase of Russian gas exports without Russian participation. I hope this message is heard. We are willing to work constructively with all our partners the way we have repeatedly declared, and on the basis of principles that we have formulated and have been proceeding from in our work."
“We have made considerable loans to our other CIS partners. An application has been made to discuss the prospects with Ukraine, and we have posed the question to our European partners. As I have said, they replied that they had no spare money for Ukraine just now. However, we are continuing a dialogue with our Ukrainian and European partners, and we will discuss the issue later on.”
“The European Commission is paying ever greater attention to energy transport-in particular, natural gas piping via Ukraine. That is good, as is the attempt to put the gas transport operator under the control of international legal norms and regulations. I think we should, and can, support it.”
“Still, some problems remain unsettled, including the declaration you have mentioned. I have read it. It says that the normal performance of the gas piping system is an earnest of political stability in Ukraine and the European Union countries. However essential those matters might be, they should not acquire excessive political colouring. One should not take it too far. Next, though the declaration refers to the independence of the gas transport operator, its wording is too obscure to see what independence and from whom said independence is meant.”
“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.”
