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
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with German businessmen yesterday after opening a Volkswagen factory in Kaluga the day before. He warmly thanked the German partners for their commitment to cooperating with Russia and in turn, the Germans promised not only to provide investments, but also to contribute to the formation of a middle class in Russia.
As this paper reported, Vladimir Putin launched a total cycle assembly of cars at the Volkswagen plant just outside Kaluga last Tuesday. Later in the evening, he chaired a meeting on regional development (which started after this paper had already gone to press), where he made some very important and harsh statements.
German companies are set to take part in the second wave of privatisation in Russia, the Chairman of the Eastern Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, Klaus Mangold, said during Vladimir Putin's meeting with German businessmen yesterday: "We believe that the privatisation programme the government announced several weeks ago in Russia provides new opportunities to promote cooperation between Russia and Germany."
The new system of appointing regional governors is unexpectedly turning into a semblance of electoral race. The contenders for governor whose names have been submitted for approval to the Kremlin aren’t fighting for votes, but rather for the good will of regional and federal elites. And at times the battle lines are drawn within the same party.
World War II veterans may not receive the flats promised by President Medvedev in time for the 65the Victory Anniversary. Yesterday Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised to remove some of the barriers preventing war veterans from getting new housing. However, the money allocated by the government falls short of the real cost of the flats, and many veterans will not be able to move into the new flats before Victory Day on May 9. 34,000 World War II veterans are currently in need of new housing. However, Russia has failed to provide each with even just a one-room flat by 2010.
Residents living in Aprelevka’s buildings have been battling for operational lifts for ten years.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the Volkswagen automobile plant in Kaluga yesterday, where he told our special correspondent, Andrei Kolesnikov, that he was pleased with the products of this thriving auto giant in Russia—at least more pleased than with the products of AvtoVAZ, which has become a black hole for billions from the Russian budget. Indeed, as if to challenge the ambitions AvtoVAZ still seems to entertain, the plant’s top managers in Kaluga were pointedly hinting that they would soon be assembling Audis, too.
The government has developed a plan to catch up with our northern neighbour in timber processing.
For the first time in the history of the alcohol industry, the state is easing administrative pressure on legal alcohol producers.
The ambitious Nord Stream gas pipeline project has obtained its first construction permit from the Danish Energy Agency for the section of the pipeline to cross Danish waters. The Swiss project operator, Nord Stream AG, announced the news.
The Kaluga Volkswagen (VW) plant has announced that it will launch a full assembly line, following up the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Octavia with a new VW economy model. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was one of the first to see the new model during his visit to the plant.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is arriving in Russia for a private meeting with Vladimir Putin, a source close to the Italian Prime Minister told RBC. The reason behind the visit was Berlusconi’s desire to wish his Russian counterpart a happy birthday, albeit belatedly. The Russian and Italian leaders are set to informally discuss “geopolitics and energy,” the newspaper II Journale, owned by Berlusconi, wrote recently.
In September, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin launched an initiative aimed at restoring the population of the Central Asian Leopard (Panthera pardus ssp. Saxicolor) in Russia’s Caucasus region. Mr Putin personally placed two male leopards into an enclosure where they will soon be accompanied by females. At a government presidium meeting yesterday, he enquired about his leopard friends with Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutnev.
The issue of timber-export duties may very well sour Russia’s relations with Finland or foreign investors soon.
Last week the ruling tandem again communicated with Russian citizens through the media. It again demonstrated the trend observed by NG: the Russian journalists are given unsophisticated propaganda vinaigrette, whereas their foreign counterparts are offered chef’s specialties. As usual, President Dmitry Medvedev makes the vinaigrette whereas Prime Minister Vladimir Putin surprises the public with gourmet dishes.
It seems the Russian government and banks will soon be lavishing loans on citizens. Another meeting on economic issues chaired by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has indicated that credit organisations are ready to provide loans with interest rates of 8% to 12%. The government is considering a one year extension for subsidized car loans and even doing away with the car price limit of 600,000 roubles.
Stalin’s descendants have lost their court case to protect the honour and dignity of the Leader of the Nations, Joseph Jughashvili (Stalin).
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin received FIFA President Joseph Blatter at the Government House yesterday to discuss Russia's prospects for hosting the 2018 World Cup match. Our special correspondent ANDREI KOLESNIKOV was present at the meeting and came away believing that Russia has a real chance of winning its bid for the championship.
As soon as Russia officially entered its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Joseph Blatter, got on a plane to Moscow. Vladimir Putin waxed lyrical on how the life of Russians would improve if FIFA awarded the game to his country. Mr Blatter was moved and said that although Russia’s bid was still in the second echelon, the chances were very good. Experts say the championship would cost Russia a minimum of 260 billion roubles.
The issue of excessive administrative procedures was raised anew at Thursday’s government meeting. In spite of the actions taken by the country’s leadership, agencies continue to make conducting business a “nightmare” in Russia. Vladimir Putin discussed the disappointing results of an inspection of monitoring and oversight agencies carried out by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
