Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Kobylkin, I have reviewed the results of your work last year. In general, the results are positive: industrial output grew and salaries rose. What is the region’s average, 51,000 roubles, right?

Dmitry Kobylkin: Yes, 51,000. The highest are in the oil and gas sector.

Vladimir Putin: And the other indicators are quite good: you have no budget deficit, your financial results are in the black; however, investments in fixed assets have gone down for some reason. What can you say in this respect? Moreover, major projects were implemented.

Dmitry Kobylkin: Mr Putin, our growth could be substantially attributed to the Bovanenkovo project, of course. Investment into the field facilities was very large. It has slowed down recently because the project is nearing completion. We do have some other projects in line: the pipeline system, Samotlor-Purpe, Purpe-Zapolyarka, Industrial Urals-Polar Urals and Yamal LNG construction projects. I think that we will see an increase next year.  

Vladimir Putin: So, you think it’s just a temporary downturn?

Dmitry Kobylkin: Only temporary.

Vladimir Putin: And what happened to construction?

Dmitry Kobylkin: Construction was somewhat affected by the crisis. Our results concerning loans on mortgage were not bad at all. The budget allocations on housing construction proper were not too large. We stepped up our investments in construction by 35% for the next year. We have a great deal of dilapidated and hazardous housing; this makes up about 50% of housing in the region. This is the basic problem. We are also implementing a programme to relocate people beyond the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area. The waiting list is very long.

Vladimir Putin: What, in your opinion, will happen with construction in 2011? What are your plans?

Dmitry Kobylkin:  We expect to commission 166,000 square metres of housing compared to the 130,000 that we have achieved to date. By the end of my tenure, in 2015, I’d like to see 500,000 square metres commissioned. At this rate, I think, in about seven years only 5% of housing in the region will be dilapidated and hazardous.

Vladimir Putin: And today?

Dmitry Kobylkin: Today, such housing accounts for 50%.

Vladimir Putin: Okay.