DMITRY ORLOV, Director General of Political and Economic Communications Agency, Cand. Sc. (History).
The first Government report to Parliament presented by Vladimir Putin turned out to be very detailed. The keynote of the Prime Minister's analysis of the country's status was: acknowledge the achievements but entertain no illusions. Indeed, 64 million square metres of new housing, a trebling of the number of schools with Internet access and 1,717,000 newborn children - all this is on the positive side of the ledger in 2008. During the economic crisis, the country's economy has not only survived, but has demonstrated that it can grow. However, Russia is not immune to the world economic problems that triggered the crisis. Being a realist, Mr Putin warned that 2009 would be a difficult year.
The main goal of the Prime Minister's report to parliament and its mission, so to speak, was to formulate a comprehensive anti-crisis message of the ruling elite, a message that consolidates the position of the executive branch, parliament, the administrations of the Russian regions and the United Russia party. Consolidation is extremely important in time of crisis, both in substance and in function.
The Government has taken the unprecedented step of putting the anti-crisis programme up for broad public discussion. The discussion has indeed been broad, ranging from opinions submitted by analytical centres to a massive public examination at United Russia's forum called "Strategy-2020. New Tactics."
By the way, the opposition, which constantly claims it has an alternative anti-crisis plan and has yet to published it (with the exception of some proposals on nationalisation voiced at the recent plenary meeting of the KPRF Central Committee), has failed to organise a discussion of anti-crisis measures on a scale comparable to that which took place at the United Russia forum.
The formal outcome of the discussion initiated by Mr Putin and United Russia has the shape of hundreds of proposed amendments and remarks, sometimes very tough, aimed at modifying the Government programme. Many of them will be taken into account, as Elvira Nabiullina said shortly before the Prime Minister's report. But quantity is secondary. What is more important is substantive consolidation.
The anti-crisis speech was eagerly awaited. According to a recent VTsIOM poll, 48% of respondents had no idea what the Government's anti-crisis plan was all about. The elite too were anticipating the address. The numerous and diverse long-term and short-term solutions to the crisis had to be consolidated into a single policy. But it could not be a mere arithmetical sum: priorities had to be identified.
The priorities have been identified and chief among them is keeping the promises to the population and stimulating internal demand. For the first time in many years the Government's anti-crisis programme combines the features of a political manifesto (seven priorities), clearly defines areas of the Cabinet's work and offers a detailed cost estimate. As Mr Putin told the Duma it is necessary "to ensure an optimum combination of anti-crisis measures and long-term projects" with the understanding that the country should not "be stuck in yesterday".
President Dmitry Medvedev believes that the Government's anti-crisis programme must look beyond 2009. That task has been met: the criteria for defining the end of the crisis have been named and the priorities and areas of the cabinet's anti-crisis activities are by and large integrated into Strategy-2020.
Mr Putin has published his new plan, the "road map" that would lead Russia out of the crisis. In his speech to the Duma the Prime Minister described "the creation of a new economy" as "our choice." Turning the economy from commodities production to innovation, a new role in the world and a middle class comprising 50-60% of the population; these goals are still on the agenda. Russia must become more competitive. Modernisation - economic, social and political - is becoming the core of the national agenda.
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In his speech to the Duma the Prime Minister described "the creation of a new economy" as "our choice".
