Addressing the meeting, Mr Ivanov said, in part, that the development of the transport infrastructure would be one of Russia's key priorities during the economic crisis.
"The issues pertaining to the development of the transport infrastructure are stipulated in the Government's anti-crisis programme as the groundwork for enhancing the efficiency and lowering outlays in all economic sectors," he said. "Crisis management and enhanced efficiency of all types of transportation are our key priorities for the medium term."
Mr Ivanov also spoke about concrete anti-crisis measures approved by the Government, such as "transition to the payment of taxes from the profits received in the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year, the lifting of the value added tax from the import of technological equipment whose analogues are not produced in Russia, deductions of the value added tax for advance payments, and state guarantees on loans taken out by organisations for ensuring their operation and investment."
"Of course, these measures will detract billions of roubles from the federal budget's revenues," the Deputy Prime Minister said. However, the state "has consciously assumed this anti-crisis burden in a bid to reduce the weight on producers and transportation companies."
Mr Ivanov said he viewed this as "a responsible stance of the state, which is indeed openly helping the real sector during the crisis, even if to its own detriment."