21 may 2012

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev chairs a government meeting

Participants:
Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the new Cabinet members and outlined the top seven priority, milestone achievements that, in his opinion, Russia’s new government must address in the next six months. “How well we handle these problems will demonstrate the government’s real policy platform – as opposed to the one on paper,” he said.

Dmitry Medvedev’s opening remarks:

So our work begins now. Please accept my heartfelt congratulations once again. As the President has just done, I would like to extend my best wishes to the new Russian government, because it is on our smooth and effective cooperation that Russia’s progress depends, as well as the social welfare of the people, the solutions of urgent problems facing Russia’s economy and the social security system, which ultimately shape the general attitude of the nation.

I will not spend a lot of time talking about our goals, although I would like to outline the top seven government priorities right now at our first meeting. These are the immediate priorities that the government should address in the next six months. How well we handle these problems will demonstrate the government’s real policy platform – as opposed to the one on paper. We all understand that the quality of our work will be visible by the results we attain. This is very important.

So what are the priorities that I referred to? What should our milestone achievements be? Firstly, we need to complete and adopt the most important government programmes for all the key sectors of the economy and social welfare.

These opportunities exist. At least five of these programmes – we have recently held consultations on them, which some of our colleagues attended – are scheduled to be launched in January next year. Priority attention should be given to the demographic targets stipulated in the policy speeches of the country’s political leadership.

The second issue, which is equally important – although, all seven issues are equally important in this respect – concerns the submission to parliament of a three-year budget for 2013-2015. Upon drafting this budget, we should take into account the new budget rule on setting the upper limit for budgetary expenses.

Our third goal is to ensure the consistent growth of salaries for some groups of social employees to the levels stipulated in the presidential decrees and in other previous decisions. This crucial issue concerns millions of our people.

Fourth, we must begin implementing measures stipulated in the roadmaps on the national business initiative in the sphere of customs administration, construction licences and connection to the engineering infrastructure. In general, we must take resolute steps to improve the investment climate. Resolute steps are what we need.

Fifth, we must shift the focus to reforming the system of civil service. I addressed this issue during meetings within the framework of the Open Government and during conferences, including on tenders to select candidates for leading positions in federal executive authorities. All political posts have been filled in accordance with the Law On Government of the Russian Federation. You have been selected to fulfil a political function as members of the government, as statesmen and as people holding state positions. All other posts in the country can also be filled, although not very quickly, through tenders. We must take resolute steps in this direction.

Sixth, given the current situation on financial markets, and taking into account the reality of the situation, we should nevertheless implement transactions to privatise state-controlled stakes in companies, in accordance with the approved list but under a new timeframe.

Seventh, while working in compliance with the schedule of the government and mechanisms of the Open Government, we must ensure regular discussions of the government’s draft decisions within the expert council, which I will create in the near future, and the public councils, which all ministers sitting at this table and all state agencies must have. This is the new mode of operation, and this is what the Open Government is all about.

Colleagues, it is clear that our efforts are not limited to these seven priority goals. There are also routine issues in the work of all agencies represented here and of deputy prime ministers who are present here. As for the issues I have outlined, our work on them will be used to determine the new course of the government. I would like everyone in this audience to focus their attention on this as a top priority.

Please, once again accept my congratulations on your appointment to these high state posts. Good luck.