OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2011. “We need fast-paced progress in increasing people’s social guarantees in this country; Russia needs to make a breakthrough in technology and investment, and to promote the development of all its regions using the potential of federalism and strengthening local government.”
Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

I would like to begin by thanking the members of the Federation Council for their constructive cooperation with the government, which has been focused on addressing our most pressing socio-economic problems. This year, the Federation Council considered a total of 300 bills; I would especially like to praise those that are aimed at strengthening guarantees of people’s rights and those that provide for high quality affordable healthcare. A new system of pay for military service is another important move. I would also like to cite a whole package of economic amendments affecting investment and industrial policies, such as a bill that gives special preferences to the domestic shipbuilding and shipping industries. We discussed these issues recently at a Transport Conference in Novosibirsk. The Federation Council has recently supported amendments that provide for a simplified out-of-court write-off of the so-called “delinquent taxes” that were accumulated before January 1, 2009.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask you, in conjunction with the State Duma, to increase the pace of your work on these important initiatives: affordable housing and the development of cooperative construction projects for all Russians employed in the public sector, including doctors, teachers and cultural workers. A decision needs to be made to assign federally-owned plots of land for projects such as these through a simplified procedure. Government experts believe that this would significantly reduce the final price of new property. To achieve this, some amendments need to be made to the laws currently in effect as soon as possible, and the respective regulatory acts need to be adopted.

I'd like to emphasise that we are setting ourselves new and important goals, putting together a comprehensive, long-term agenda that covers essentially all spheres of life. We need fast-paced progress in increasing people’s social guarantees in this country; Russia needs to make a breakthrough in technology and investment, and to promote the development of all its regions using the potential of federalism and strengthening local government. This will require a major legislative effort, involving the adoption of legal acts and adjusting the existing legislation. It is our common goal to improve coordination between the different parties involved in lawmaking: the government, the Federal Assembly and regional parliaments. The very lawmaking process needs to become more open and transparent.