Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a meeting on the concept of Russia’s long-term social and economic development until 2020

"Under the circumstances [of the financial crisis], the Russian banks and companies which have been borrowing money in the West will find it very difficult to extend old credits and get new ones in the Western financial institutions. Therefore, the Russian Government and the Central Bank have offered a number of additional measures to support the Russian financial system, to continue the projects launched earlier, to restrict the negative impact of the world financial crisis on the domestic economy, and to protect the assets of Russian companies abroad."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with the coach of Zenit St Petersburg football club Dick Advocaat

At the meeting Vladimir Putin wished the coach of Zenit St Petersburg football club a happy birthday.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with VTB (Vneshtorgbank) President Andrei Kostin

The situation in the bank sector, the questions of expansion and the projects which Vneshtorgbank has developed and backed were discussed at the meeting

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Samara Region

During his one-day working visit to the Samara Region Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with United Russia’s secretaries of regional offices and top representatives in regional legislative assemblies and had a working meeting with the Governor of Samara Region Vladimir Artyakov.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with State Duma deputies from A Just Russia party

"Now we are facing new tasks. It is necessary to develop children's healthcare and pre-school education. The birth rate has gone up, and we do not have enough kindergartens. We should introduce new, higher standards for the production of food, and consider methods for protecting the younger generation from smoking, alcoholism, and drug addiction."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chaired the meeting of the Government’s Presidium

"I believe the country's financial authorities have reacted promptly to the situation in the global economy and taken measures that have definitely proved effective. The situation on the market has stabilised, as you know. In fact, the market has fully rehabilitated."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met in Sochi with representatives of the Russian and French business communities

"I should emphasise that there has been a strong foundation created to foster our business partnership; an effective cooperative structure has been formed; and that commodity turnover is on the rise. Measured at the end of the second half of 2008, the accumulated volume of direct investments from France equalled $1.7 billion. We endorse French investment in the Russian economy."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at a plenary session of the 7th International Investment Forum Sochi-2008

"We use market methods to respond to emerging problems. The Government and the Bank of Russia have sufficient reserves to protect the Russian currency and the financial system."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting with top executives of foreign companies

"I am well aware that the predictability and stability of economic policy is vitally important for business, and I would like to emphasise that despite certain political events of some urgent and even critical nature, Russia will not change its economic development model. Our policy will remain unaltered, there will be no closed market or economic mobilisation. We will not take any politically motivated decisions or actions in the economy, and we are trying to make our plans as open and clear as possible."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin conducted a video conference of the Federal Operative Headquarters for the liquidation of the aftermath of the armed conflict in South Ossetia

"A huge amount of work has been done: hospitals and temporary accommodation for refugees were promptly made available, and delivery of water, food and humanitarian cargoes was organised. People were not discriminated against on the basis of nationality: humanitarian relief was brought, among others, to the inhabitants of the villages located on Georgian territory. By now the situation on the whole has been stabilised, practically all the refugees, with a few exceptions have returned to the Republic; according to our data, about 2,000 people are still to return home."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of Russian Government Presidium

"Finance Ministry intends to allocate additional funds to minimise the negative impact of what is happening on the world markets. <...> Starting in April, part of the temporarily available funds will be placed in bank deposits, which is a measure to support the national banking system today."

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Interview granted by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the French newspaper Le Figaro

"Russia is developing at a rapid pace. In 2003 I said that doubling our gross domestic product was our medium-term goal. And we are moving towards that goal: the goal will be achieved in late 2009 or, according to some other estimates, in the first quarter of 2010."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov

Mr Putin and Mr Ivanov discussed the current situation inside the national defence industry and short-term prospects, including the current state defence order and that stipulated by the three-year defence-order budget and ways of disbursing the 67 billion rouble sum allocated for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) programme.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with members of the Valdai International Discussion Club

"We must analyse the past - he who does not know the past has no future, as is known - but we must proceed from realities. Today we have no ideological contradictions, like in the Cold War; there is no basis for a cold war."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Head of the Federal Customs Service, Andrei Belyaninov

The meeting was devoted to measures to transfer custom clearance to the external Russian borders.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Ulyanovsk Region

In course of his working visit to Ulyanovsk Region Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chaired a conference on expanding civilian aircraft production, met with the Governor of Ulyanovsk Region Sergei Morozov.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Head of the Russian Pension Fund, Anton Drozdov

"We will have to ensure the indexation of pensions at the beginning of the year and in the second half of the year. If we make these decisions in the second half of the year the rise will be already considerable and we should make sure that the Pension Fund has the money. You have to be in contact with the Finance Ministry and other agencies."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Head of the Central Bank, Sergei Ignatyev

The macro-economic environment and the disinflation in Russia were discussed at the meeting.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Astrakhan Region

The main aim of the trip is to review preparations for the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the city’s foundation, which will be marked in October. Mr Putin also visited a sports centre, a musical theatre, Astrakhan’s Kremlin and the Cathedral of the Assumption, met with the Governor of the Astrakhan Region, Alexander Zhilkin, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin and the Secretary General of the National Security Council of Saudi Arabia, Prince Bandar ben Abdel Aziz al-Saud.

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak

"The increase in wages for public sector employees in the regions should be coordinated with our plans to increase the labour compensation fund for the budget-paid employment sector. On December 1, federal employees will get a 30% increase in wages."

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Uzbekistan

President Islam Karimov welcomed Russian Prime Minister at Tashkent Airport. During his visit Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held talks with Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev and with Uzbek President Islam Karimov.

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