Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mrs Golikova, you were present at many of my meetings with healthcare workers at various forums, including those organised by the Popular Front. These colleagues and those working in rural areas have raised the question of compensation to medical specialists employed at federal rural medical facilities on more than one occasion. They raised the question of compensation medical workers were supposed to receive after the benefits they received up to December 31, 2004, were abrogated. Then the government promised that these benefits would be monetised appropriately. This refers to partial housing payments; some communities offered other benefits. Again, these questions were raised more than once, and I asked you to think about it, to think about a solution. What type of agreement were you able to come to with your colleagues from various ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Finance?       

Tatyana Golikova: Mr Putin, we have worked on this for a long time, especially with the Finance Ministry. Ultimately, we reached an agreement that our citizens who held positions in the medical and pharmaceutical fields as of December 31, 2004, had housing and utilities benefits and resided in rural areas, will start receiving monthly compensation. The amount of the compensation will depend on the duration of their employment. If the individuals had worked throughout the whole period and will continue working, say, until January 1, 2012, the compensation will total 63,000 roubles for the whole period in accordance with the norms established and regulated by the Ministry of Regional Development.      

Vladimir Putin: For the whole period?

Tatyana Golikova: Yes, for the whole period. But if an individual quit his or her job before or left the rural area, the amount will be reduced and calculated based on the duration of actual employment. 

Vladimir Putin: So we will pay retroactively for the whole period?

Tatyana Golikova: Yes, in 2012.

Vladimir Putin: Very well. What about individuals that started work after the established date and do not qualify? Also, what will be the amount of monthly payments for those who do qualify?

Tatyana Golikova: For each year – 2005, 2006, and 2007 – the amounts differ, as the payments grew depending on the index that …

Vladimir Putin: On average?

Tatyana Golikova: On average it will amount to somewhere between 12,000 and  14,000 roubles. These are the amounts.

Vladimir Putin: Is that per month?  

Tatyana Golikova: No, I apologise. Per year.

Vladimir Putin: What would be the amount per month?

Tatyana Golikova: Payments for 2005 will amount to approximately 460 roubles, then 500 roubles for 2006…

Vladimir Putin: What would be the average? A little bit more than 1,000?

Tatyana Golikova: On average for these years, yes, I think approximately that much.

Vladimir Putin: Approximately 1,100 to 1,200 roubles?

Tatyana Golikova: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: I repeat my question. What about those specialists that came to work at federal healthcare facilities in rural areas after the established date and did not qualify for these benefits and, therefore, cannot receive any compensation for that period? They continue to work there now. And the conditions for the medical workers in the rural areas are rather difficult.    

Tatyana Golikova: First, I would like to say that those who became employed after January 1, 2005, legally do not qualify. But in order to assure equality among individuals working at the same healthcare facility, it would be fair to issue all workers employed at federal medical and pharmaceutical facilities monthly monetary compensation starting on January 1, 2012.  

Vladimir Putin: This is exactly what I wanted to propose. I would like to ask you to prepare a draft government resolution that would include monetary compensation for all specialists who qualified to receive these benefits for the whole period and pay it all out retroactively in 2012. In addition, it must also introduce social support measures for all federal medical workers employed in rural federal medical facilities that would average 1,200 roubles a month, considering the calculations that you have just made.   

Tatyana Golikova: Mr Putin, we will do this in the shortest possible time. Considering the fact that the budget has been compiled for the next three years, we will include this provision in time for the second reading of the budget for the next three years, after it is coordinated with the Ministry of Finance. From then on it will be included in the budget.  

Vladimir Putin: Agreed. It is necessary that our agreements are reflected in the draft law on medicine presently under consideration in the Duma.

Tatyana Golikova: Yes, in its second reading.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.