Transcript:

Dmitry Medvedev: Good afternoon.

Remark: Good afternoon. Mr Medvedev, can I ask you a question?

Dmitry Medvedev: Yes of course, go ahead!

Remark: I know you’re having a busy day. You've been tackling some really big issues…

Dmitry Medvedev: Well, it's been a day like any other. We were talking about the drought.

Question: We understand that it’s a serious matter but, Mr Medvedev, please help our village of Ilovlya. You see it’s a very nice village. There are a lot of people here. It’s a multi-ethnic village, in fact. We have beautiful scenery here, and the village is on a highway that links the south of Russia with the centre – but we haven’t got enough jobs. Is it possible to start up some kind of business or factory here?

And another question. Mr Medvedev, I am a postman.

Dmitry Medvedev: I see. A very important job! It's a pity there aren't enough postmen in this country.

Remark: Yes, it’s a very important job. Please help us at the federal level because the Russian Post has always been a government agency. Our jobs and wages depend on the government. I have another request – you might like it. Please come here for a vacation.

Dmitry Medvedev: Thank you very much.

Remark: It’s a wonderful place here, we have beautiful scenery.

Dmitry Medvedev: Thanks again. I’ve done a bit of sightseeing here already. Let us start with this request. What’s your name, madam?

Answer: Olga.

Dmitry Medvedev: And your patronymic?

Answer: Yegorovna.

Dmitry Medvedev: Olga Yegorovna, ladies and gentlemen, this is the first time I've been here. It really is a wonderful place. I’ve never seen such clean rivers before. They are beautiful! I never expected anything like that! I’ll happily accept your invitation to come here for a holiday.

As for the postal service, we will certainly give it our attention. It deserves the state’s utmost attention because Russia is a country like no other. A private postal service might cope, say, in Switzerland – but no private entrepreneur would be able to cope in Russia. So it will become one of our concerns.

As for a factory, I hear what you are saying. The regional governor is here. I will monitor the matter myself. You must receive sizeable investment to set up a new business. I've noted what you said. You have a population of 15,000 in the village and about 30,000 in the district overall. We need to create new businesses and jobs.

Remark: That’s right! Our young people should stay in the village because young people are our future.

Dmitry Medvedev: Definitely. I’ve seen everything with my own eyes. You've had a crop failure this year. We discussed the drought today, and the regional and district governors told me that people are leaving and moving away. So you need jobs not only in agriculture – you need alternatives.

Remark: Of course, we need manufacturing industries…

Remark: We had a bakery and a dairy, but they closed down and we have no jobs.

Dmitry Medvedev: You are right – new jobs have to be created.

Remark: Young people go to the city to get an education and qualifications but they feel unneeded at home. It will be a real shame if Ilovlya dies out…

Dmitry Medvedev: That won't happen unless you are indifferent, because a great deal depends on the human factor.

Remark: We're not indifferent, we are appealing to you and the governor…

Dmitry Medvedev: You're correct in what you say, I totally agree.

Remark: We have a very good district governor but he cannot address the problem all on his own – he won't be able to resolve the situation unless you and the regional governor help him out.

Dmitry Medvedev: Okay. Thank you for your kind words and invitation. I’ll see what I can do.

Remark: Mr Medvedev, I want to talk to you about multi-child and adoptive families.

Dmitry Medvedev: How many children do you have?

Answer: I have ten adopted children and two of my own.

Dmitry Medvedev: Wow, that's wonderful!

Remark: We need a gas stove and a minibus assigned us but everyone refuses.

Dmitry Medvedev (to a district official): Listen, you must help! There are ten adopted children…

Answer: Mr Medvedev is posing us a task. We’ll settle it with a minibus in September.

Dmitry Medvedev: Did you hear that? He will do everything.

Remark: And we need gas!

Dmitry Medvedev: The village must have gas, too.