OREANDA-NEWS. Vladimir Putin held a State Council Presidium meeting on family, motherhood and childhood policy, in particular with regard to implementing the May 2012 Presidential Executive Orders.

Taking part in the meeting were Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets, Presidential Aide Igor Levitin, the heads of federal ministries and agencies, and a number of regional governors.

Before the meeting began, Mr Putin visited the Cherepovets Steel Mill (Severstal), where he discussed support for motherhood with the plant’s workers.

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Opening remarks at the State Council Presidium meeting on family, motherhood and childhood policy

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon, colleagues.

First of all, let me thank the State Council Presidium for addressing this subject of state support for families, motherhood and childhood. The improvement in the demographic situation over recent years makes this a key issue and something we are working on, and so it is always important to keep it at the centre of our attention.

I visited the steelworks just before this meeting and spoke with the employees there. Overall they are positive in their assessments, but they nonetheless have some questions and particular concerns, and would like to see some adjustments or additions. I hope that we will have the chance to discuss all of these matters today.

Putting in place the right conditions for an increase in births, protecting motherhood and childhood, and strengthening the family as an institution are priority social tasks for Russia. They are crucially important for our country’s present and future and require systemic and coordinated work from the authorities at all levels, as well as from the public, from our citizens. This work must have clear and common objectives and a clear understanding of how we will achieve them.

It is timely that the State Council Presidium is discussing these issues, timely too because the Government is currently in the process of drafting a family policy concept document.