Part 13
Speaking during his annual televised Q&A session with the public,Russian Prime Minster Vladimir Putin
The session lasted for about three hours. The Russian Prime Minister and the leader of the most popular Russian political party, United Russia, covered a variety of issues ranging from the global financial crisis to relations with Europe and the United States to purely domestic topics.
В прямом эфире телеканалов «Россия» и «Вести», радиостанций «Маяк» и «Радио России» Владимир Путин Председатель Правительства и лидер партии «Единая Россия» ответил на вопросы, поступившие в общественные приемные Председателя партии, заданные по телефону, sms, а также через сайт программы.Трансляция идет из Гостиного двора в Москве.
As for the fire wood Nadezhda Mukhanova asks about, this problem is addressed in the framework of the notorious Law No. 122 that states the responsibility for timely fire wood supply to rural areas be attached to local governments, which in turn are to allot adequate funds to municipal authorities. When purchases are made on a centralised basis, by municipal authorities proper, they sell fire wood at 10,000; and they can actually make a bid of 20,000. But if money is given directly to people, as a rule, they manage to find other distributors whose prices are two or three times lower.Unfortunately, I do not know where Nadezhda Mukhanova lives; it is necessary to check what is happening in the region, territory or republic where this TV viewer lives. If we are able to find out after the programme, I will try my best to take the necessary steps. Of course, I hope for local governments' support as well.I would like to reiterate that this problem is being addressed rather effectively. I know that in some regions, for example, in the Tyumen Region, there is no such problem anymore, which means that it can be resolved effectively in other constituent entities too.
ERNEST MACKEVICIUS: If you don't mind it, I would like to read a text message on foreign affairs: "Europe withstands the world crisis better than the US. Perhaps it makes sense to step up efforts towards integration with Europe?"
VLADIMIR PUTIN: You know we pursue multi-vector foreign and foreign economic policies. We cooperate with Asia's actively developing markets, with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region; we interact both with Latin America, and the US, which is one of our major trade and economic partners; and I hope it will remain so in the future.As to Europe, it is still our major partner. The European Union accounts for over 50% of trade turnover with Russia. As far as I remember, its share reached 53%, or even more. Furthermore, we do not simply trade with the European Union - in the general economy, in its key areas, real integration is taking place. One such area is certainly the energy industry.
I made this point already, and I can repeat it. We admitted a number of European companies - Finnish, Italian and German - to our energy sector; they acquired the biggest blocks of shares with our power companies, invested literally billions of dollars and euros. We invite such investments. We admitted them to participate in the development of hydrocarbons - both oil and gas.I have to do justice to our European partners. For their part, they ventured the construction of new routes for our energy resource supplies to Europe. An excellent example is the constructing of the North Stream gas pipeline and our plans for the South Stream, as well as some other projects. Europeans have also admitted us to their energy transport system, namely the trunk pipeline. These are very good examples of integration in a crucial economic sphere: energy. This cooperation will increase the transparency, reliability and stability of both the Russian and European economies. We will continue pursuing this policy. Also, one can see obvious progress in politics.Unfortunately, there is a lot of prejudice. Some attitudes are taken from the past; there are a lot of phobias, especially in the so-called New Europe. But I think that those nations, especially their governments, will eventually come to realise that it is necessary to face the future instead of clinging to the past.
ERNEST MACKEVICIUS: Thank you.I suggest that we come back to the regions. It is no secret that the most frequent questions people send to our editorial office and to your public reception offices have to do with the social sphere, above all with healthcare. So, the staff at your reception office in Khabarovsk went to a regional health centre.Let us hear from Khabarovsk. Russia Channel's Pavel Zarubin is at the health centre now.
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9:48Разговор с В.Путиным.Прямая линия.Прямой эфир. ...by niknikolay22,062 views
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