"Komsomolskaya Pravda": "VLADIMIR PUTIN: “OILMEN MUST GO BACK TO 2008 FUEL PRICES AND CUT THEM EVEN FURTHER”
For three years the Government will be paying double compensation to Russians for "Soviet-era deposits"
GORDEYEV DISMISSED
The agenda of the Government meeting did not promise any scandals. The ministers were chatting while casually waiting for Mr Putin to appear. Minister of Agriculture Gordeyev alone looked sad. He had a reason to be sad: very soon he would exchange the gilded splendour of the Government conference hall for the wide spaces of the Voronezh Region to which he has been appointed governor. The Cabinet old-timer was looking at those gathered like a soldier about to be discharged. Mr Gordeyev even chose not to present the routine report himself, opting to let his deputy do it for him. Thus, when in the middle of the meeting, the Prime Minister suddenly addressed him, Mr Gordeyev was so surprised that he jumped to his feet.
"I would like to thank Alexei Gordeyev and wish him success in his job as governor," Vladimir Putin said. "He has worked as Minister of Agriculture for nearly ten years. Do sit down, Alexei." Mr.Gordeyev listened to the Prime Minister with his head bowed, without a smile; it seemed he was about to shed a tear.
"RUSSIA TOO HAS PROBLEMS"
Thereafter, the pace of the meeting quickened.
"One had to visit the Employment Centre to see that Russia also has problems," Vladimir Putin told the ministers. The Centre we visited works well, but there are still some problems - long queues, for example. The network of employment centres must be expanded and more workers must be hired. I don't think it will cost all that much."
At the mention of the word "cost", Finance Minister Kudrin's ears perked up, since the Ministry of Finance would have to splash out. Alexei Kudrin reported that this year Soviet-era deposits made by citizens born before 1966 would be compensated, and that all the citizens will be paid double compensation before 2012.
OIL, GAS, AND UKRAINE
The next item on the agenda was the spring sowing season. Mr Putin's biggest worry in this connection is the price of fertilizer. He told the Federal Antimonopoly Service to see to it that fertilizer producers do not jack up prices.
"A similar demand, to resist the temptation of price fixing, must be addressed to the suppliers of fuel and lubricants," Mr Putin warned. "In January and February wholesale prices were rising, in preparation for the sowing season, I imagine. In order to go still higher than that level, the oilmen must revert to the 2008 prices and even further back."
Mr Putin was indignant over the oilmen's ingratitude: the Government was cutting their taxes and they were pushing up prices.
"This is inexplicable," the Prime Minister complained. "I want to be heard by the representatives of that sector."
With a heavy sigh, Mr Putin moved on to international problems. He asked his deputy, Mr Sechin, whether he had managed to find out anything about the situation in Ukraine over the national oil company Naftogaz.
"We get our information from the media," Mr Sechin confessed. "Gazprom's attempts to get any official information failed."
"Too bad," Mr Putin said, adding that Russia was worried about the possible consequences of the conflict. The Prime Minister, mindful of political correctness, stressed that all the settling of accounts in Ukraine was strictly an internal Ukrainian matter as long as it did not affect Russia's interests.
"The next Ukrainian payment for Russian gas is due on March 7," Mr Putin explained. "If, as a result of forced actions, it does not happen, our supplies of energy to Ukraine and perhaps to our consumers in Europe may be suspended. We hear there have been attempts to seize the transit contract - the original, not a copy. We are bringing it to the knowledge of the European Commission and all our consumers in Europe. What is happening in Ukraine once again raises questions about the reliability of that country as a partner."
Several hours after Mr Putin's statement, word came that Naftogaz had remitted the February payment to Gazprom.
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BY THE WAY
The Prime Minister yesterday signed an executive order whereby new cars assembled on Russian territory would be transported to the Far East free of charge. The state will compensate the railways for all the extra costs, and the people in the Far Eastern region will be able to buy Russian-made Lada and VAZ cars for much cheaper than before. The same holds true for foreign cars assembled in Russia.
Vladimir Putin also announced that Russia would issue another loan to Belarus, this time for $500 million. Russia has lent the union state $3.5 billion since 2007, and that sum has now been rounded to $4 billion.
