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 index all incomes of servicemen and military pensioners according to inflation, and inflation will not eat up these incomes. We have taken such decision, I think it is even reflected in the law. If it is reflected in the law, any government will have to fulfill it, so the first threat, inflation, is countered with this.”
“The nature of the military and law enforcement service is such that people that have the right to retire are often still fairly young and active – they are in their prime, so to speak. Our task is to help them to get on their feet as civilians, to find a job, and not just any job, but an interesting job with good pay that is in line with their training.”
“As I said, the amount of military pensions should be determined by the recipient’s service record and by his or her contribution to the enhancement of Russia’s capabilities, defence or otherwise. Both military allowances and pensions will be raised starting on January 1, 2012, as part of a welfare reform in the armed forces. I’d like to emphasise that the reform will apply to all military pensioners, regardless of their institutional affiliation. <…> The planned raise will be a considerable one – no less than 50%. Necessary funds have been earmarked in the federal budgets for 2012 and subsequent years. Modern-day Russia has never seen such a large-scale military pension raise before.”
“I would like to bring up another important subject that has to do with improving schools and pre-school education. Please note that this also falls under the responsibility of municipal authorities. We have allocated 120 billion roubles for the modernisation of Russian schools over the next two years. What we need to do now is make all the necessary arrangements in conjunction with the regions and purchase equipment, outfit labs, gyms, medical offices and cafeterias. There is certainly the need to follow through on the implementation of the main purpose for the allocation of federal funds, which is to raise the salaries of school teachers. It’s not enough to report about the situation in general in a region or a municipality. Please make sure that each and every teacher sees an increase in his or her salary, without any glitches.”
“We have limited the increase in tariffs for 2012 in most so-called natural, or more precisely, infrastructural monopolies, including heat and power supply, to the rate of inflation. This time, tariffs will be adjusted not in January as previously, but on July 1. This means that there will no longer be any economic grounds for raising the amounts that appear on utilities bills. Therefore, please deal directly with managing and utilities companies, track the situation closely in the housing and utilities sector and stop any and all attempts by these companies to get into customers’ pockets.”
“It's clear that our system of approaches must also be changed. Requirements of the municipal authorities need to be formulated more clearly, and performance evaluation criteria should be introduced. This should be done by the people themselves in the first place. We are introducing these criteria to evaluate the performance of regional authorities and government institutions. These kinds of criteria for municipal authorities should also be in place. It is for this reason that the government has drafted major amendments to the existing legislation. In fact, for the first time ever, we are introducing a clear legal definition of such a concept as urban amenities and accountability of municipal authorities for the quality of work.”
“The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was launched this year. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, everyone has been talking about integration. The CIS was functional and it carried out its role more or less, but true integration – I mean practical economic integration – has only just started now. <…> Integration processes are not imposed from the outside – they lie at the heart of the interests of our partners. We are led towards cooperation based on internal necessities. I must say that the leaders of both Kazakhstan and Belarus have done a great deal in helping us reach our current level of integration. Other countries have already voiced their readiness and desire to join in.”
“We must create additional growth points in the regions, as well as new industries and production lines. We must enter the world markets with science-intensive goods and services, as well as other products with high added value. The previously mentioned public-private partnership will play a major role in our efforts to achieve our development goals.”
“Within the next few years we will have to fundamentally change our economy. These are not our ambitions, nor a slogan, but the requirements of the day. This is a challenge that faces the entire world in general and Russia in particular. Only an efficient, competitive economy with a powerful industrial and technological base will allow us to feel confident in the constantly developing world, to reduce our dependence on complicated and turbulent processes in the world economy and guarantee our protection against global risks.”
“By July 1, 2012, all of the government bodies in the regions and municipalities must adopt the electronic interaction system. I emphasise that July 1 is the deadline. We expect that some regions – where work is in progress and the proper information base is available and the channels work – will complete the work much sooner. We are considering allocating 670 million roubles from the federal budget annually to support such regions.”
“The efficient occupational safety and health system must be based on modern information technologies that can also be used for statistical monitoring and to report on the situation in general, to analyse the data by industry and to provide a basic forecast. Such mechanisms must be introduced widely as soon as possible. As far as the scientific standards of occupational safety are concerned, we must use the most advanced regulations and standards of the International Labour Organisation as a benchmark. Such regulations must be our basic criteria for creating quality and safe jobs.”
“As the country's leading party, United Russia should use this election campaign primarily to create additional tools for reaching out to the public. We should use it as an opportunity to get a better understanding of the problems facing the nation as a whole and each individual citizen, as well as to think about possible solutions. It was with this purpose in mind that the Russian Popular Front was created, and we've made it a reality thanks to your involvement, assistance and support. This is why we have arranged for representatives of your organisations to join United Russia election lists for the State Duma.”
“The birth rate has gone up, infant mortality is decreasing... The situation is changing for the better. One of the initiatives that we are working on is opening modern well-equipped medical centres, and perinatal centres in particular. <…> I would like to clarify what has happened after the opening of these perinatal centres. I will quote some figures. In regions where such perinatal centres operate, infant mortality is diving. Thus, infant mortality in the Kirov Region dropped by over 12% after the launch of a perinatal centre. It has decreased by impressive 33% in the Ryazan Region.”
“For post-industrial countries and all of Europe, for instance, the demographic situation is the most pressing issue. Russia is no exception. Demography has, without exaggeration, a fundamental importance here. Each family in Russia and the country as a whole, as well as its future prospects – I am not afraid of such florid verbiage – depend immensely on how we address this problem.”
“We should gather this memory by tiny bits like you are doing and take care of living war veterans. We must give them credit for their feats during the war and the country's postwar restoration. We must treat with respect those who are still working and engaged in this upbringing. <…> What you have been doing comes from your hearts and this is the main thing. This will enable us to never forget about the feats of our fathers and grandfathers. We will educate our children in this vein in the spirit of love for our Homeland. This is one of the foundations of the Great Patriotic War – the memory of the heroic past of our ancestors and our Homeland.”
“Certainly, we would like major foreign partners boasting advanced technology, modern managerial concepts, education and research programmes to invest in the domestic power industry, the housing/municipal utilities sector and other infrastructure sectors. Naturally, this implies a new level of competition and a new level of quality regarding the services being provided to Russian citizens. This is a serious incentive for domestic companies to boost their efficiency and to implement production-modernisation programmes. This will result in real modernisation which must benefit the Russian economy and every Russian citizen.”
“The Central Bank of Russia estimates that the Russian economy has received about $31 billion worth of direct investment in January-September 2011. This is 20% more than in 2010. <…> Against the backdrop of today’s complicated global economic situation, our objective is to create the best investment climate we can to promote an influx of capital and its protection. This would allow investors to feel comfortable and to perceive our support and protection. This is the only way for us to win the competition in attracting capital.”
“We created this agency in order to provide talented and goal-oriented professionals with the opportunity for self-fulfillment <…> I very much hope that in the future, when forming the Russian government, (we have repeatedly discussed this with President Medvedev), we will pay attention to these people, keeping in mind that modern, efficient individuals are needed at all levels of power.”
“Broad implementation of the standard of support, and the organisation of such events – support to medium-sized businesses and to initiatives (which we have also been talking about since the beginning) – is a very important part of our work. We need to formulate our principles and to understand the current standard of a favourable business climate. I consider guaranteeing that investors' rights are observed by regional authorities to be of the most fundamental importance in this respect, if we are talking about these problems at the regional level. We need to simplify the arrival of new companies as much as possible, and to eliminate various barriers for launching projects, construction and manufacturing. <…> One of the key provisions of the standard I have mentioned is the set-up of a council for attracting investment in every region of Russia.”
“I would point out that achieving success in implementing these initiatives depends not only on the efforts of the Agency or on federal assistance. To a large extent, this success will depend on the ability of Russian regions to follow the logic of reform, to improve the business climate, to eliminate the barriers that we have talked so much about recently, that hinder the implementation of constructive business ideas.”
“October 19, 1811 went down in our country’s history, in the history of our culture and literature, because it was the day that the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum opened here 200 years ago. Among its students were the most talented young people from noble families who were raised in the spirit of camaraderie, loyalty and love for their homeland, for the glory and strength of which they accomplished a great deal.”
“That the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space are open organisations, and we will welcome all neighbours and colleagues there. Many of them – particularly Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – are even now displaying interest in joining these organisations.”
“Of course, the mechanisms of the Common Economic Space will require further streamlining, and special attention will have to be paid here to the efficiency of supra-state bodies. I'm referring above all to the need to modernise the Customs Union Commission and to set up a standing board, as the scope of this body's responsibilities continues to expand. This will become a permanent body, to which our countries will assign certain powers in areas such as macroeconomics, tariff regulations, industrial subsidies and natural monopolies.”
“The formation of the common customs territory of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus was completed on July 1, 2011. The response of the economy has been positive, a fact that we have highlighted more than once. Our three-way trade grew by one-third, which is a good indicator. Work is also moving along on schedule with the upcoming launch of the Common Economic Space, which will become operational, as planned, on January 1, 2012.
“During the difficult time of the global economic downturn, the EurAsEC promptly worked out some effective instruments to respond to global economic risks and to protect the common economic interests and social welfare of our countries’ people. We have formed an anti-crisis fund, with part of its resources already allocated to support Belarus and Tajikistan.”
“Our countries continue to pursue similar development goals and it is crucial to find a source of growth all across the CIS. Integration is, without a doubt, a source of growth and it will help us take full advantage of such factors as the capacious market, the interconnection of our economies, and sustainable technological cooperation. What is a free trade zone? Let me explain it in a few words. This means that we will lift export and import duties for some groups of goods.”
“Long and, I should say, emotional but constructive talks unexpectedly brought us to the solution to a pivotal question. In fact, we gathered to find an answer to it – and we agreed to sign the treaty on the CIS free trade zone today. <…>I would like to add only that, as we all realise, the matter concerns the establishment of a new foundation for trade and economic relations in the Commonwealth of Independent States. This fundamental treaty will lie as the basis of our long-term trade and economic relations.”
“One of the key goals will be to build a sustainable political system, which would use its own resources rather than act on advice and orders from abroad. Our country cannot live as a satellite. It needs a strong political system with a sustainable internal structure – modern, flexible, and reflecting modern challenges and realities, and at the same time relying on our national traditions.”
“Russia has an emerging political system. We are not going to rely on voluntarism in our decision-making. We will always maintain dialogue with the public and society. We will seek formats that ensure the sustainability of our political system.”
“In speaking about our plans, and my personal plans for the future, this is what we need to do. We must strengthen the foundations of our political system and our democratic institutions. We must create the conditions for the gradual development and diversification of our economy on a new, modern basis, and we must create the conditions to improve the quality of life of our citizens. This is what we intend to do.”
“The State Duma is currently considering a law on applying the world’s best environmental practices not only to the construction sector, but also to other industrial sectors. While working on this law, we drew from the best global practices and cooperated with international experts. I hope very much that it will be adopted by the State Duma in the near future and will be implemented in practice.”
“We will modernise available industrial clusters and create new ones. At the same time, the creation of complete-cycle enterprises, the siting of high-tech enterprises in Russia, and the creation of modern jobs will become a key principle of our cooperation with foreign investors. We proceed from the premise that up to 25 million modern jobs must be created nationwide in the next few years. This is a substantial amount for Russia. Although this doesn’t mean that all jobs must be absolutely new, all available jobs must be upgraded to a considerable degree.”
“For 17 years, the Foreign Investment Advisory Council has undoubtedly established itself as an effective and authoritative partnership between the government of the Russian Federation and our esteemed foreign colleagues and the foreign business community. The council has earned a reputation not only for collecting information about issues pertinent to the Russian economy, which is important by itself; it also plays a direct and active role in forming the business climate in the Russian Federation, conducts investigations and analysis, and formulates clear recommendations – first and foremost, recommendations to the Russian government agencies at various levels.”
“I would like to highlight that many foreign investors regard our council as a kind of gauge of the Russian business climate, and the opinion of the council members about working in Russia is often the deciding factor in the decisions of our partners on whether to launch a new business or invest in a particular project in the Russian Federation.”
“Today, Russia has a larger fleet of rail cars than the Soviet Union, but we still carry less cargo. And there are also problems of a clearly systemic nature. <…>Russian Railways itself must act in a more timely manner. The Tariff Service has been instructed to calculate an appropriate rate so no private company bears any losses. Russian Railways bears no losses, but instead operates with a profitability rate of at least 10% – and maybe a little more – somewhere around 15%. However, work must begin now.”
“I would like to ask you to prepare a draft government resolution that would include monetary compensation for all specialists who qualified to receive these benefits for the whole period and pay it all out retroactively in 2012. In addition, it must also introduce social support measures for all federal medical workers employed in rural federal medical facilities.”
“We have decided to limit the growth of fees of the majority of natural monopolies next year. This should restrain the growth of prices in the housing and utilities sector. I’d like to reaffirm that this is the government's principled position, and it will not be reviewed. This is why I consider it inadmissible when some officials say that amendments or adjustments are possible.”
“We have conducted an in-depth inspection of the state’s oversight and surveillance functions over the past two years and removed many administrative barriers in education, healthcare, agriculture, construction, and some others. <…>Last year we approved the concept for forming the single national accreditation system. They proposed establishing a shared body vested with the requisite authority in this area. Today we will look into regulations governing the work of such a body, namely the Federal Accreditation Service. It will be engaged in establishing rules for professional organisations regarding certification, test labs, and expert organisations.”
“The development of Russian-Chinese relations both in foreign policy and economics has an undoubted effect on the welfare of our people. That is why we attach such great significance to their promotion. In this context, contacts are important not only between heads of state and government, but also between the parliaments of our countries.”
“We want to join the World Trade Organisation. This is our goal and our objective. In our opinion, this would have a generally positive impact on the Russian economy, mostly because it will increase the level of trust in the economy, and on the administrative and legal procedures within the economy.”
“We will create incentives to promote closer industrial cooperation, working to forge promising technological alliances, to implement infrastructure projects, and to increase mutual capital investment. Our aim is to diversify trade and economic ties between our two countries. We have already developed a whole set of tools to carry out such tasks, including the Investment Cooperation Plan and the Programme of Interaction between Regions of the Far East, Eastern Siberia and Northeastern China.”
“We’re also planning to lay new energy routes. As you know, the Skovorodino-Daqing oil pipeline has been pumping crude oil since January 1, 2011. Russian and Chinese companies are beginning to work together to locate and develop new oil and natural gas deposits, including on the continental shelf. We’re already nearing the final stage of our work on natural gas supplies to the Chinese market. Preparations are underway for the construction of a large oil refinery in China’s Tianjin.”
“I think everyone would agree that given the current difficulties in the world economy, in the United States and in the European Union, Russian-Chinese cooperation plays a stabilising role and benefits both our economies and our nations.”
“In the course of our 16th prime ministerial meeting, we discussed in detail some of the recent issues of bilateral cooperation in almost every sphere. Our talks today reaffirmed the truly strategic nature of our relations. The political dialogue between the two countries continues to advance, the horizons of their cultural exchange are expanding, and their economic and regional cooperation is growing stronger.”
“The development of infrastructure in general and roads in particular is very important for any country, any economy and perhaps is an issue of prime importance for Russia. However, we can see that road construction in such remote parts of Russia as the Far East or eastern Siberia is also extremely important because once they are in place, they will have a multiplier effect on the regional development in general.”
“One of our priorities is to establish a strong basis for innovation in the defence industry. For this reason, we intend to spend some 20% of the funding on research and development.”
“If we want to produce the advanced weapons needed in modern combat operations and ensure that this high level is maintained in the long term, we must consider a modernisation of the defence industry as a whole. We can rely on our strong foundation and our personnel. The weapons produced in our country must be advanced and fully appropriate for our long-term objectives.”
“The industry must be upgraded to produce advanced equipment and weapons that meet the demands of the armed forces in terms of quality and, of course, the price. The Federal Targeted Programme for Russian Defence Industry Development to 2020 is a key instrument to achieve these objectives.”
“Are we going to join NATO or EU? No, we aren’t. We believe we are in a position to defend ourselves. As for the EU, we will continue to expand our relations with the European Union. <…> However, our primary goal is not to join alliances or achieve other political or administrative goals. Russia’s main goal is to improve its citizens’ standard of living. We will focus on achieving this goal.”
