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
At a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said that between December 31 and January 13, the number of people officially registered as unemployed has increased by 30,000.
Between May 15 and September 15, the flight from the Far East to European Russia will cost 10,000-14,000 roubles. The remainder will be subsidised by the government, as Transport Minister Igor Levitin reported to Vladimir Putin yesterday.
Giving a pep talk to his fellow United Russia party members, Deputy Head of the Government Staff Vladislav Surkov said: "You cannot overcome the crisis by forming a feeble army of number crunchers to fight it. New creative decisions are needed." This call for creativity turned out to be provocative. Some reckoned that it was a veiled attack on the main number cruncher, Alexei Kudrin, especially since the conference was attended by Mr Kudrin's Deputy, Anton Siluanov. Others dismissed Surkov's words as intrigues intended to test Mr Siluanov's mettle and provoke him into revealing what the Finance Ministry really thought.
A stall in the underpass near the Kremlin is piled high with tin figures portraying ... Putin and Medvedev. 5.4 centimetre-high miniatures sell for 400 roubles apiece. The miniatures represent Lenin, Stalin, Khruschev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin, though, truth be told, the figures bear only a faint resemblance to the national leaders.
The Government is trusted less and less, hopes are pinned on Medvedev. Vladimir Putin's rating hit its lowest point since he became Prime Minister. People see no improvements as a result of the Cabinet's anti-crisis measures.
An unpretentious amateur's painting of a frost covered window fetched a fabulous 37 million roubles at an auction last week. The price is on a par with museum canvasses by Kustodiyev and Konchalovsky or installations by Ilya Kabakov. The reason is not just that the auction that took place in St Petersburg on Saturday was a charitable event - the money will go to a children's hospital, a cancer centre and restoration of a church. The value of the picture has more to do with the man who painted it. The author, as an authentic signature attests, is none other than Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
A mother of a large Ufa family complains to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about the Republic's Law On Education
The Government decided to accommodate the world's largest nickel producer Norilsk Nickel and has abolished export duties on nickel and copper cathodes. Other manufacturers, the Urals Metallurgical Company (UGMK) and the Russian Copper Company (RMK), will also benefit from the Government's decision. The total savings for nickel and copper exporters in 2009 will amount to about $300 million.
The new movie Faust by Russian director Alexander Sokurov premiered in St Petersburg on January 21 as the final part of his tetralogy, described by the acclaimed filmmaker as “the work devoted to history and people”.
At the end of 2008, Prime Minister Putin promised that the Government would partially cover consumers' car loans. "Regardless of the interest rate on the loan, we will cover a portion of the rate," the Prime Minister said. "Those planning to buy a car made in Russia will be better off buying it in 2009," Putin said. Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP) has verified how the promise is being realised.
German Sterligov is a symbolic figure in Russian business. At 25, he was one of the first to make a fortune while others were scratching their heads, waving banners, and seeking a miraculous national idea. In the troubled 1990s, his Alisa, the first stock exchange in the country, reported huge turnovers.
Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin admitted yesterday that the Affordable Housing National Programme had failed to achieve its main goal. Despite the growing state financing, the increased annual construction volume between 2006 and 2008 has not resulted in more affordable housing. The population segment able to afford real estate has only increased by 1%. No improvement of the trend is expected in 2009.
Two nationwide actions - one pro-government and the other anti-government - are due to be held on January 31. The Presidium of the United Russia General Council will hold a nationwide action in support of the Government's anti-crisis measures. Meanwhile, the KPRF has applied to hold a nationwide protest on January 31. Both sides believe provocations leading to clashes cannot be ruled out.
The Government will rely on housing construction to pull the country out of the crisis.
A traditional World Economic Forum (WEF) will start in Davos on Wednesday and will last for five days. Highly representative delegations are arriving in Switzerland, no doubt with many subjects for discussion, considering how badly the global economy has been shaken in the last six months.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will continue to hold large-scale news conferences involving the regional and federal media. Although such news conferences will be similar to those held by Putin during his presidential terms, there will be some changes. Quite possibly, Putin will communicate with journalists during all-Russian media forums involving the supporters of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party. As a rule, journalists from all Russian regions attend such forums. The ex-President could play the part of Prime Minister and United Russia leader during the above-mentioned forums.
At midday yesterday, when Yulia Tymoshenko was at Kiev Airport preparing to fly to Moscow, all the Ukrainian President’s men were celebrating the feast of the Baptism of Jesus bathing in a hole in the ice covering the Dnieper. The leader of the opposition Party of Regions, Viktor Yanukovich, who had warned in advance that doctors had forbidden him to take part in the Baptism water rites proceeded to criticize the yet-to-be-signed gas agreements. The Ukrainian politicians behaved as if the gas conflict had been closed although they intended to use it as a political trump card inside the country.
In my view, the discussion has been lively and productive. My first impression is that a political crisis is inevitable. It will not come from the opposition, but follow a managerial crisis brought on by the financial and economic crisis as it expands. Nothing is being done to prevent a managerial and especially a political crisis: the authorities are inadequate here. In the political field, they continue to exercise "total control", even though this policy is counter-productive today.
Vladimir Putin had a busy day yesterday, what with the planned signing of a gas contract with Ukraine. The Government was preparing for the arrival of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, but although important agreements had been reached the night before, few people in Moscow believed the gas conflict was over. What if Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko changes his mind again?
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met again in Moscow yesterday, and signed a 10-year contract on natural gas supply to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko yesterday affixed their signatures to an agreement that paves the way for Russian gas to Europe and introduces European rules of payment for our gas for Ukraine. The long-term contracts for 2009-2019, the result of many hours of one-on-one talks between Putin and Tymoshenko and an expression of their mutual political will, make “gas relations absolutely transparent and predictable”, the Russian Prime Minister said. Even so, Izvestia believes, from the start the new accords suggested several questions, as to which no answers are yet in sight, in spite of the much-vaunted “transparency”.
Naftogaz and Gazprom sign gas contracts. The road for Russian gas to Europe is open: Gazprom and Naftogaz signed two ten-year contracts yesterday. The two parties are now counting the gains and losses of the gas war.
To build the future you have to understand the past, otherwise our future will be made by somebody else. If we understand correctly what happened last year, it will be easy to make predictions or express wishes for the new year and the following years.
The commission created to enhance the sustainability of the Russian economy, referred to by its members as KURS (the Russian acronym for Commission for Sustained Development of the Country) and popularly known as the Government's anti-crisis headquarters, is under pressure to prove that it has made amends in response to the President's criticism that some of its members are working too slowly. In other words, First Vice Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, who heads up KURS, has his job cut out for him...
Communists and veterans stage protest actions in Kirov on the day of Nikita Belykh's inauguration. What is the difference between a protest and an inauguration? Police never disperse an inauguration, but they can disperse a protest at the drop of a hat.
Budanov’s parole brings wartime horrors back to Chechens
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin acted tough during the Russian-Ukrainian gas conflict, while an outraged Europe threatened sanctions against Kiev and Moscow.
Whoever is to blame for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it will make the CIS countries look more to the West.
Before launching marathon talks in Moscow on the gas problem Vladimir Putin visited Germany, where he attended a glittering society event, the famous Zemper Opera Ball at Dresden's Opera. At the ball the Russian Premier was presented with the Order of Saxon Gratitude in the "Politics" category. The order is traditionally conferred on outstanding personalities for services to Germany. The order has the picture of St George on horseback. In line with protocol, Putin arrived wearing a dinner jacket and a bowtie.
The Government's law-making plan for 2009, which was last discussed in mid-November, has been approved. The number of bills expected to be drafted this year has been doubled, a tall order in a time of the crisis. However, some of the controversial documents, including the Law On Trade, will not be adopted in 2009.
The ordinary Russian, who has been glued to the TV screen for the entire New Year holidays, has no doubts over which country (Russia or Ukraine) disrupted gas supplies to Europe. The situation has been made clear to him. Kommersant-Vlast sought to explain what was really happening and why.
"All this, of course, is a carefully choreographed drama designed to serve the Kremlin's broader agenda. Five countries - Slovakia, Finland, Bosnia, Macedonia and Turkey - rely exclusively on Russia for their gas supplies. Many EU states are dependent for a large proportion of their supplies. Britain is in the fortunate position of depending on Russia for only 2.5% of its gas.
Russia has exerted titanic efforts to keep Europe warm - and even more effort to prove that it was Ukraine that was putting spokes in the wheels.
Vladimir Putin's painting Hoar Frost was auctioned off for more than a million dollars. St Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko has greater experience in art, but her endeavour sold for three times less. The returns of the charity auction in St Petersburg, totalling 70 million roubles, will benefit hospitals and a church.
An urgent gas summit held in Moscow produced an agreement with Ukraine, the Kremlin says. Kiev, however, thinks it has merely distracted Putin and Tymoshenko.
Gazprom has already lost about $1.8 billion as a result of the conflict with Ukraine. Russian Government officials are pondering measures to help the gas concern, including cuts in export duties.
The Prime Ministers of Russia and Ukraine have announced that the gas conflict has been settled. Kiev has agreed to buy Russian natural gas at $360 per 1,000 cubic metres, the newspaper's sources say. Has Ukraine decided to try to live without Russian gas?
The editor of Time magazine did not have to explain why he chose Barack Obama as the Man of the Year in 2008, unlike in 2007, when Vladimir Putin held this title. This time, it was the second place winner who gave rise to questions, as many were surprised to discover that it was French President Nicolas Sarkozy. It was harder for him to be the runner-up than for Obama to occupy the top spot. The new U.S. president is more associated with expectations than with real achievements, whereas last year Sarkozy not only had to overcome numerous domestic and foreign policy problems, but also to disprove his negative image in the eyes of many.
Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel's day planner, published on her website, includes a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin scheduled for today. The conversation between the two leaders will take place at 4 pm CET and finish with a joint news conference.
Moscow and Kiev are preparing for the crucial battle in the current gas war - a gas summit attended by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and European consumers of Russian gas. President Dmitry Medvedev proposed to hold the summit in Moscow, but his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko said that he would attend the meeting only if it took place in the EU, and went to London for moral support. The Kremlin, however, is ready to hold the summit without the Ukrainian leader, especially as Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko arrives in Moscow tomorrow to, according to her press service, "solve all the gas problems."
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said yesterday that he might reschedule budgeted defence spending. Although the state defence order for 2009 (1 trillion roubles) was left unchanged, both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Kudrin said money could be re-directed from low-priority defence spending items to key defence projects. In addition, the White House, which has failed to make banks issue more loans to industry, is planning non-bank lending for the defence sector and the Central Bank's "special refinancing rates" for defence-friendly banks.
With the New Year holidays over, President Dmitry Medvedev went to the Salyut plant to see how aero-engines are made there. Vladimir Putin had previously formulated the principles of reform in the engine-building branch and the President wanted to know how it went, but Salyut Director Yury Yeliseyev took advantage of the visit to pursue his narrow interests and lobby the President to allow Salyut not to join in the effort. This practice of using VIP visits in corporate interests is not new and does not always achieve its aims. Worse still, such intrigues sometimes jeopardise long-term reform plans for whole industries.
The Russian defence industry is waiting for tax breaks. On Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stayed in Korolyov just outside Moscow, inspecting assembly workshops of the Tactical Missiles Corporation and chairing a meeting that discussed the defence industry situation.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is planning a decisive battle in the gas war on his own turf: on Saturday, he wants to reach a transit agreement with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and announce the results afterwards to invited representatives from consumer countries.
On Wednesday, Prime Ministers of the countries hit hardest by the gas conflict - Bulgaria, Moldova, and Slovakia - arrived in Moscow. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was the first to harshly explain Moscow's position. Closer to evening, President Dmitry Medvedev proposed that a summit of countries using or transiting Russian gas be held.
The White House is not in a hurry to react to the President's criticism. It has been three days since Dmitry Medvedev took the Government to task for being slow in fulfilling his anti-crisis directives, but not a single Cabinet member has yet reacted to the criticism. Experts note the striking difference in the degree of readiness with which Kremlin directives are fulfilled compared with the times when Vladimir Putin was President.
The State Duma opened its spring session yesterday on a somber note. Not only was the crisis weighing heavily on deputies' minds, but they also came to the session after attending the funeral of presidential envoy Alexander Kosopkin, who died in an air crash.
President Dmitry Medvedev presided over a high-level conference yesterday devoted to the financial situation. The first such anti-crisis meeting to be held in 2009 decided to take measures to "additionally capitalise" the banking system in the next two weeks and determined the size of state guarantees of loans to the defence industry (70% of the loan) and sector-relevant industrial enterprises (50%). The Kremlin and the White House are still prepared to spend unlimited amounts to treat the "confidence shock" in the economy.
The Communist Party has made demands for the Rossiya TV Channel to give KPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov half of the airtimeallocated to the programme "Conversation with Vladimir Putin", in any format possible.
Gazprom's second attempt to resume gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine has also failed. Ukraine's Naftogaz has again refused to allow the flow of Russian gas to Europe. The pretext is new: the need to fill the pipeline, but the underlying cause is the same: the pipeline is empty because Kiev has siphoned off gas. Meanwhile, the premiers of Russia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Moldova had an emotional meeting in Moscow yesterday trying to solve the gas problem. They failed, prompting President Dmitry Medvedev to invite all the countries that get Russian gas via Ukrainian territory to gather for a summit meeting in Moscow on Saturday. Yulia Tymoshenko and Victor Yushchenko were also invited. The current gas crisis can only be solved through a face-to-face meeting.
