When Prime Minister Putin published the anti-crisis programme in March he encouraged all the Cabinet members to organise its public discussion. Fulfilling his instructions the ministers were all over the television screens for two weeks. Mr Putin was the most active of all, which was natural because he was to report the anti-crisis plan to the State Duma on Monday, April 6. The Prime Minister continued the discussion of anti-crisis measures with the leaders of parties and non-governmental organisations yesterday.
"Any constructive, reasonable and feasible proposals will be taken into account no matter whether they come from the right, left or centre," the Prime Minister said.
He was in a confident and optimistic mood yesterday.
"The country will emerge from the crisis strengthened," he said.
Why? Because, in the Prime Minister's opinion, only effective enterprises will survive and develop.
Mr Putin announced: "We may soon see a slowdown of inflation". The Prime Minister bolsters his forecast by pointing out that inflation has not grown on the previous year in spite of the crisis. ("I have just received the data", Mr Putin said.)
After the Prime Minister the Secretary of the Public Chamber, academician Velikhov, made a speech. He reminded those present that when Heracles cleaned the Augean Stables he did not reach for the spade, but rerouted the rivers to wash out the filth.
In other words, he approached the task imaginatively and that is how the Government intends to proceed.
Mr Velikhov spoke about various things, some of which were new to those present: about protein additives, and the odd substances called rignin and mutanol (which drew surprised looks from the CPRF leader Zyuganov and LDPR leader Zhirinovsky). Mr Velikhov complained about the high price charged by public baths. But he also invested his speech with deep political meaning.
"The state is an institution of the solidarity of nations, he said, this is particularly important during a crisis".
"You have said many specific things there," Mr Putin commented. However, the academician's words about solidarity struck a chord with the Prime Minister.
"There is a need for social consolidation in the time of crisis," Mr Putin said. One would like to see society react adequately to what is happening in the country.
By Larisa Kaftan