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.”
"This calls for substantial changes in the laws. The infrastructure of the financial market should be strengthened and superfluous administrative barriers have to be removed, thus cutting the cost of attracting capital to Russian money markets."
"In recent years, more and more enterprises in the real sector have regarded the stock market as a convenient and reliable instrument for raising funds for investment projects. Just one example: in 2007, the issue of securities raised over 850 million roubles, or 13 percent of the total amount of investments. The results this year will be more modest. This is understandable in the light of the global financial crisis. However, the main conclusion remains that the financial sector has become part and parcel of the Russian economy. On the whole, it is coping with its main job of converting national savings into investments and production development."
"The recent events - the substantial drop in the shares of domestic enterprises -- have shown how uncomfortable it is when most of the decisions as to which securities to buy or sell in Russian money markets are made outside the Russian Federation, based on criteria that have little to do with the real state of our economy and Russian enterprises. As a result, the current prices of the shares of our enterprises are far lower than the real value of their business."
"It is necessary to develop the microfinancing. We should take advantage of this groundwork. We agreed to try our best to make municipal orders and local tenders, even those held at the federal level, accessible to SMEs."
"Russia-German gas cooperation, it is developing very well indeed. Today we have reached the level about which we merely talked a few years ago. It was decided at the complicated talks, that our German partners would cooperate with us in producing gas on Russian territory. We are partners in the project you have mentioned, Nordstream, on transporting gas to Europe. Gazprom has become a co-owner of the German transportation network. It goes without saying that this makes our partnership well-balanced all the way."
"E.ON AG owns a big package of shares in Gazprom, and has been represented in its board of directors in the last few years. We have been jointly producing gas and transporting it to other European countries. Needless to say, this strengthens stability and reliability, and I would even say, mutual control of the situation in our economies, and in part, in this sector."
"Today we will consider the report on budget execution within the first nine months of 2008. I would like to underscore that financing of priority budget items was boosted, which is good news. For example, education expenses have totaled 198.6 billion roubles, compared with 174 billion within the same period of the last year. We have allotted 155 billion roubles to the development of healthcare and sports, which is almost 50 billion more than in 2007. Financial aid to Russia's Regions was boosted as well. Interbudgetary transfers have grown 177 billion roubles, amounting to 740 billion roubles."
"To make strategic plans, investors and local governments should be aware of the Investment Fund's possibilities as well as their own abilities. This means that we need a long-term forecast for replenishing the Fund with money."
"Obviously, one of the major anti-recessionary tools is federal budget funds. We must effectively allocate them to back solvent demand in the economy, and to ensure unqualified fulfillment of social liabilities, including timely payment of state-paid employees' wages, pensions, and benefits."
"The Programme envisions improvement of the legal framework of anti-trust policies. We'll have to clearly and precisely define areas where the Law On Competition should be applied. Not all actions currently formally qualified as breach of antitrust law are really violations. We'll also need to delineate between tough but fair market play and forbidden tricks."
"The sectors where unfair competition has reached a systemic level, directly hurting people's interests and hindering business development, require special attention. I am referring to jet fuel pricing policies, for example, exorbitant fees for connection to power grids, the markets for coking coal and petrochemicals, public utilities and other sectors. We need tailor-made "pinpoint" solutions here. In particular, we need to approve regulations for non-discriminatory access to services of natural monopolies, as well as customs and tariffs regulation measures."
"The Programme also emphasises competition policies aimed at encouraging small businesses. It is an important current economic and social policy issue, because this sector plays a significant role in creating jobs."
"We'll have to work faster on removing administrative barriers hampering the development of entrepreneurship, implementing our earlier decision as well as additional measures. In particular, we needs to work more intensively on building an information support system for businesses, that is, expand and diversify market reports and price indicators published by the authorities. The move will take away, or at least lessen illegal advantages of businesses benefitting from informal contacts with officials."
"Another pressing issue is dealing with the mala fide practice of illegally granting special privileges to companies which are "close" to the federal or local governments, while putting up artificial barriers for their rivals. This often happens when placing federal or municipal orders."
"Our plans to promote competition can be divided into two major blocks. The first block includes protecting competition with a strong anti-trust policy.Proposals include a crackdown on cartels and greater punishment for government and corporate officials for violating competition rules, even up to criminal prosecution. The second block has to do with shaping competitive markets. The Government proposes a systematic action plan for that. Our first priority will be to create a favourable environment for new and effective economic operators."
“The Russian-Kazakh border demands the closest attention of all. <…>As for the Kazakh border and our partnership with Kazakhstan, it certainly demands much time, effort and money. Let us not forget about drug trafficking on our south borders. Our federal agencies should closer cooperate with their Kazakh counterparts. Much has been done already for the necessary political and legal basis. With consideration for the drug threat, I think the State Anti-Drug Committee should be extremely active in this work.”
“We must think about stability and security of the new institutions even now, and concentrate on increasing the effectiveness of transnational travel checks of individuals, cargos and transport. There is also an information system to be arranged for smooth cooperation of border guards and customs services. What we need is a unified information system.”
“The formation of the Russian-Belarusian-Kazakh Customs Union has gained pace, largely on our partners' initiative, which I find correct and well-timed. The Customs Union will begin its work quite soon.”
“The implementation of the programme for the support of the agro-industrial sector, which we developed several years ago, has allowed livestock breeding to make substantial progress. Big producers, and major complexes have appeared, the like of which we did not have in the Soviet Union. Some of them match their world's best counterparts in characteristics and scale, and in some cases, they are the best in Europe and the rest of the world. As for dairy processing, the enterprise where we are right now is certainly an example of such a leader.”
“You know that new regulations on milk will become effective this December. They will define in no uncertain terms what product can be considered "milk", and the consumers will know about this. This product will be made of natural milk. The product made from milk powder will be called a "milk beverage.”
"The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is doing much to alleviate the suffering of people during world conflicts. We have seen that even if you fail to achieve something, you continue to work towards your goal. Regrettably, you still have a lot of work."
“It [European security agreement] would be a legally binding document aimed at guaranteeing real and equal security to European countries, based on clear and simple principles. First, it should guarantee that one nation's security is not ensured at the expense of another's security. Second, it should prevent any country, military union or coalition from taking any actions that could weaken common security and unity. And third, it should prevent development and expansion of military unions from harming other parties in the agreement. We also propose that the new document stipulate basic parameters of control over armaments, including the fundamental principle of reasonable sufficiency and cooperation formats to fight proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, drug trafficking, terrorism and organised crime.”
“Stability and security cannot be the privilege of a limited group of countries or specific international organisations, which aren't universal. Therefore, President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed signing a new European security agreement.”
"A litmus test for humanitarian law is the terrorist threat. Unfortunately, reality is that militant groups are able not only to deal pinpoint strikes, but also to engage in full-scale warfare. In doing so, they fully ignore not only laws, but also the elementary considerations of humanity. This clearly illustrates the issue: how to apply humanitarian law in the context of anti-terrorist moves, how to apply it in the struggle against those who do not recognise any law."
“Our goal is to uphold stability and predictability in strategic relations, and to avoid a legal vacuum in the limitations of nuclear arms.”
“Today's humanitarian law is a major branch of international law and of international life. It is one of the determining factors of international life. It fills one with hope that military technology can be regulated and controlled, and that the spread of so-called "inhumane weapons" be prevented. For this purpose we propose that all nations of the world introduce the practice of specifying all armaments being developed for compliance with the provisions of humanitarian law.”
“As before, observance of humanitarian law everywhere remains paramount. We naturally see two sides. The first is the legitimacy of using force as such, and the second, the lawfulness of using various means and methods of warfare and armaments. And in this case, it is obvious that the ones who violate humanitarian law are above all those who trample under foot the fundamental principles of international public law.”
“It is obvious that the range of issues pertaining to humanitarian law is closely linked to the larger area of international security. I would like to say a few words about that now. What we are witnessing, unfortunately, is the alarming trend of "diluting" the existing legal framework.”
“The goal of our party is to generate new ideas and projects and control their implementation. We need to understand public opinion and people's needs. The United Russia party has all the necessary tools to define strategic objectives and to develop political programmes and draft laws that correspond to the needs of our citizens.”
“The administration in each of Russia's regions and municipalities should employ responsible policies. Administration heads, as well as regional and city Duma deputies, should be aware of current issues and introduce timely solutions. It is important to adequately evaluate budget opportunities, to optimise the state governance system and to decrease maintenance expenses. We may have to abandon some expensive, so-called ‘status' projects whose expediency is questionable.”
“We should invite small and medium-sized businesses to bid on state and municipal contracts, assist with office space and utilities, remove administrative barriers, including access to the local markets.”
“We need an active policy on the labour market. We need to plan measures to preserve and create new jobs and also allocate significant sums for retraining programmes and temporary employment. One of the more efficient ways to solve this problem is to support the development of small business, which can adapt more quickly to the changing economy and create new jobs with little capital.”
“This year, we plan to increase financial help for small businesses. The Bank of Development will allocate 30 billion roubles, which is 21 billion more than was previously planned. The federal budget will offer another 10.5 billion, that is additionally 6.5 billion roubles. This money will subsidise credit, interest rates, government guarantees, the development of small business infrastructure (industrial parks, business incubators and so on), plus grants and education programmes for new entrepreneurs.”
“We are going to make credit more accessible to the agro-industrial sector. Needless to say, the loan servicing should not become an excessive burden. Therefore, on some credit, the interest rates will be fully refinanced by the state. A sum of 3.5 billion roubles has been earmarked for this purpose. In addition, major projects in the agro-industrial sector may be credited by the Bank of Development. We have made this decision. The charter capital of Rosagroleasing (State Agro-Industrial Leasing Company) has been replenished with four billion roubles.”
“I am convinced that the agriculture can grow stronger and become more competitive during the global crisis, and occupy more niches in both domestic and international markets. By the way, we should help our agricultural producers sell their record grain harvest, thereby creating a solid financial base for their future development.”
“In addition to this, we are ready to purchase more than 40,000 standard flats which are either completed or about to be finished. We will earmark nearly 83 billion roubles for this purpose. By doing so we will help more than just our construction companies, but this particular sector of our economy. First, flats will be given to army service personnel and citizens residing in hazardous dwellings. Second, we will create a guarantee that the buildings which are under construction will be completed. This means that the people who invested in the construction will receive their flats.”
“We will continue making housing more affordable and helping people as much as we can. In this context, I suggest doubling to two million roubles the tax deduction for citizens who are buying or building flats. Let me explain. In this case, a family will save up to 260,000 roubles in taxes rather than up to 130,000 roubles. By way of exception, I consider it possible to make this measure retroactive because of its importance. Let us introduce it from January 1 of this year. This means that the income taxes for those who bought or built housing after this date should be recalculated and they should be reimbursed for the difference from the budget.”
“In education, we plan to concentrate on a network of national research universities, and on introducing a fixed per capita principle of financing at all levels. We will also pay special attention to developing new federal education standards, and a system of independent appraisal of the quality of education. We should support municipalities which use modern models for pre-school education. We should focus on upgrading the skills of school teachers and on other projects which will become part of the presidential initiative Our New School.”
“We are very responsible in relations with all our partners. We are taking a direct part in international anti-crisis efforts, and supporting our allies on a bilateral basis.”
“Starting December 1, 2008, federal medical and education establishments, as well as other federally supported institutions, for instance, in culture, will convert to new payment systems. They are designed to improve the quality of services, and to provide incentives for the best doctors and teachers. As we have mentioned, the overall labour remuneration fund in the federal budget will increase by 30 percent.”
“We will continue reforming the system of compulsory medical insurance, funding state guarantees for free medical aid, and developing programmes for preventive medical check-ups, and treatment of oncological and cardio-vascular diseases.”
“Starting December 1, 2008, federal medical and education establishments, as well as other federally supported institutions, for instance, in culture, will convert to new payment systems. They are designed to improve the quality of services, and to provide incentives for the best doctors and teachers. As we have mentioned, the overall labour remuneration fund in the federal budget will increase by 30 percent.”
“By the end of 2009, the average social pension should not be below the pensioners' subsistence level. In 2010, the average labour pension will grow by more than 50% compared with this year. This will be achieved through, among other things, a more reasonable attitude to the rights of those who worked and earned pensions in the Soviet period. After working for 30 years, those who begin building their pensions after 2010 may count on receiving no less than 40% of their salaries, from which deductions will be made. This is close to international standards.”
“I consider it necessary to increase from January 1, 2009 the maximum monthly unemployment benefit by 1,500 roubles, in addition to the 8.5% indexation of the benefit envisaged in the budget, which will result in a maximum monthly benefit of 4,900 roubles. We will watch the situation and introduce changes if necessary.”
“In the past, oil revenues were a great help for our budget. Now the industry itself needs additional funds to develop advanced processing and other projects. We will give our fuel-and-industry sector the required support. Thus, export duties will be reduced and their calculation will become more flexible, which will make it possible to react to global price fluctuations in a timely manner. Starting January 1 of the next year, the rate of severance tax will be cut, and tax breaks introduced for the development of new deposits - on the Yamal peninsula, in the Nenets Autonomous Region, in the Caspian Sea, and in the Arctic shelf. Oil companies have been allowed a more liberal use of the mechanism of accelerated depreciation.”
“The world economic crisis should not interfere with the implementation of our defence programmes. We should not forget that defence industries have a long development cycle, and limited sources of funding. Therefore, I suggest increasing refinancing and investment into the capital for the defence industry. I also propose allocating funds in 2008-1009 to prevent defence plants from going bankrupt. The total sum of additional funds earmarked for these purposes is over 50 billion roubles.”
“Russian companies have the right to issue infrastructure bonds, but this right is practically unused. For this reason, we have decided to allow companies to issue infrastructure bonds under the guarantees of the Russian Federation or the VEB to fund the construction of important, major projects.”
“We are very responsible in relations with all our partners. We are taking a direct part in international anti-crisis efforts, and supporting our allies on a bilateral basis. We have decided to transfer up to one billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for helping the countries which are the hardest hit by the financial crisis. We are also going to credit China and India for the purchase of Russian equipment, thereby securing jobs and profits of our companies, domestic producers.”
“We will continue talks on WTO entry. However, I consider it just as important to use the advantages of integration in the post-Soviet space. Our partners support accelerating a customs union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, and also a Common Economic Space. I completely agree with this approach. These projects should be carried out it the near future. I am convinced that the development of industrial cooperation and trade with our neighbours may become a tangible factor of economic stability in the entire Eurasian region.”
