#4
BBC Monitoring
Russian president pleased with year's results, says
everybody must benefit
Source: Russia TV, Moscow, in Russian 1100 gmt 29 Dec 01
[Vesti presenter] Today, on his last working day of the year, [President] Vladimir Putin came to the Government House in order to sum up the work of the cabinet. The president announced that the Russian leadership has managed to demonstrate its concentration and businesslike attitude. Ilya Kanavin reports from the Government House.
[Correspondent] All ministers of the Russian government gathered in the large hall near the cabinet of the president in the White House. Vladimir Putin summed up the outgoing year.
[Putin] Many things got done during this year and, first of all, the goals and indicators the government set for itself at the beginning of this year have been achieved.
[Correspondent] The president said many good things that all ministers, especially those working in the economic sphere, were pleased to hear.
[Putin] Again, the budget process went in good rhythm. We serviced state date, both internal and external, on time and in full. This year we have reduced the external state debt by 10bn dollars, without external refinancing.
[Correspondent] And this took place not because of high oil prices. The president thought that the government managed to react in a timely manner to foreign political changes. Relations of partnership were created with the Federation Council and the central bank.
[Putin] I am confident that the economic growth will enable us to more actively direct resources into the modernization of education, culture, technical re-equipment and fundamental research. And this is a huge and promising resource for our future development. It is our duty to always remember this.
[Correspondent] Increased salaries to budget-financed employees have already increased the real income of the population. At present people of Russia have nearly 50 per cent more money on bank accounts than year ago, but this is no reason for complacency.
[Putin] I would like remind you what I spoke about at the beginning, and what should be decisive in our work. There are positive changes in our work and I just spoke of them.
But we must not forget for a second that far from all citizens of Russia have felt these positive changes in their lives or in the lives of their families.
They have been noticed in certain industries and incomes are growing. During the last three years the savings of the population in the banks have grown by 46 per cent. Of course, people could not fail to notice this. But I repeat, far from every family has already felt this in their lives.
[Correspondent] When congratulating ministers with the New Year, the president said that one of the main tasks of the coming year was to retain the trust of people that had been built up lately.
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