Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon. The year is over. What did you accomplish? And what challenges must be addressed in the short term?
Ravil Geniatulin: I would like to start with a remarkable fact: last year saw the first population increase after a 20-year decline. This was not only due to rising birth rates; the most important factor was that mortality rates fell by almost 6%, and emigration slowed as well. This is a strong argument against those who think that such problems are impossible to solve in the unfavourable climate of remote Siberian towns and villages.
Vladimir Putin: By how much did the birth rate increase?
Ravil Geniatulin: Birth rates have been on the rise for three consecutive years, and the growth is likely to continue for at least another five years, as far as I see it. In addition, the results in the economy turned out higher than expected. We expected the economy to shrink by some 15%, but according to preliminary estimations, it actually only contracted by 0.01%, a very interesting number.
Vladimir Putin: That's practically the same as last year.
Ravil Geniatulin: Exactly, the same as last year.
Vladimir Putin: 2008, you mean?
Ravil Geniatulin: Correct. Even agriculture managed to grow by 2.9% in these challenging conditions. And our most encouraging achievement is that, despite all the problems, we commissioned a very large lead and zinc mill that employs 1,200 people. Also, over 130 kilometres of railway lines were laid as part of the project to develop the southeast of the Trans-Baikal Territory. We also, with the help of Russian Railways President Mr Yakunin, renovated the Southern Way railway line, another big project.
And we broke an unusual record with the famous Chita - Khabarovsk motorway: laying 325 kilometres of asphalt in one year, which cost eight billion roubles. I assume we will be able to finish this project on schedule, and I would like to invite you to the inauguration ceremony, which will be held in the fourth quarter of this year.
Vladimir Putin: Oh yes, I agreed to attend along with Mr Levitin [Igor Levitin, Russian Minister of Transport].
Ravil Geniatulin: It will be a great event, the first one in history.
Vladimir Putin: Of course.
Ravil Geniatulin: A bypass road was opened while construction was in progress. Another interesting fact: The road between St Petersburg and Vladivostok will become shorter by 51 kilometres due to straightening out the parts of the motorway in our territory and in the Amur Region.
Vladimir Putin: What about social services?
Ravil Geniatulin: The situation is stable. Last year seven schools were commissioned. About three months ago I pledged to you to construct three modern kindergartens - they have already been commissioned as well.
Vladimir Putin: Any wage arrears?
Ravil Geniatulin: No wage arrears, and no overdue salary payments as such. I am referring to government-paid jobs.
Vladimir Putin: What about the economy at large?
Ravil Geniatulin: Unfortunately, it is as high as 73 billion roubles.
Vladimir Putin: What's the situation in the labour market?
Ravil Geniatulin: We have managed to keep unemployment between 3.2% and 3.9%. It currently stands at 3.7%.
Vladimir Putin: That's quite tolerable, compared to other regions.