Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested that the positions of director and department heads for the agency for strategic initiatives should be opened to applicants starting on May 25, 2011. According to the prime minister, the idea behind the new agency is to allow young talents to translate their ideas and projects into reality. "Positive experience in working as an independent professional will be the key selection criterion," said Mr Putin.
Transcript of the beginning of the session:
Vladimir Putin: Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'd like to begin our meeting today by discussing issues that are not directly related to its agenda...
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested that the positions of director and department heads for the agency for strategic initiatives should be opened to applicants starting on May 25, 2011. According to the prime minister, the idea behind the new agency is to allow young talents to translate their ideas and projects into reality. "Positive experience in working as an independent professional will be the key selection criterion," said Mr Putin.
Transcript of the beginning of the session:
Vladimir Putin: Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'd like to begin our meeting today by discussing issues that are not directly related to its agenda. I am referring specifically to an initiative voiced at the United Russia regional conference in Volgograd on May 6 .
We've repeatedly spoken about the need to create additional mechanisms for young, talented people to be able to realise their ideas and proposals.
I know that each of the agencies and departments represented here produces such proposals, in one form or another. But for our day-to-day work to run smoothly, the government will have to adopt the appropriate laws, by-laws, and other regulatory acts to filter out dishonest activity undertaken with a view to misappropriate budgetary funds.
But we all know just how difficult it is at times to get through all the bureaucratic red tape. That is why we presented the idea of establishing an agency for strategic developments, a mechanism intended to open up new social mobility for young talent.
The agency's work is to be arranged in three areas. The first has to do with new projects and initiatives of a practical nature.
The second is related to the assessment of qualifications. As I said earlier, we arranged for the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs to develop a special qualification system for us. Unfortunately, it is progressing rather slowly. But it represents yet another attempt to create this kind of mechanism with the help of people who know how to achieve tangible results.
And, finally, the third area is related to social projects for NGOs and individuals involved in culture and the arts, public health, and education.
I believe that the agency could organise work in all three areas. The Russian government could found such an agency under the purview of the prime minister.
The agency will need to develop a regional network so as to expand its outreach in finding and supporting fresh talent and promising projects.
The selection of projects and of candidates to work at the agency should be done as openly as possible. I propose using a special website for this purpose.
Everyone willing to cooperate with the agency will be able to submit his or her application via the website. Projects and candidates for staff positions should be assessed by independent experts. We have yet to decide whom our expert panel should consist of and how its work should be organised. In my view, that’s an important responsibility, and I’d like you to come up with the relevant proposals.
Anyone interested will be able to apply, including for the positions of director general and department heads. Positive experience in working as an independent professional will be the key selection criterion.
I suggest we open the positions of director and department heads to applicants starting on May 25. We could set the agency for strategic initiatives’ official presentation for the same date. That’s something I discussed earlier with the Minister of Economic Development. I would now like Ms Nabiullina and First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov to execute this decision without delay.
There's another thing. I received a letter from the rector of St Petersburg University. He’s asking that some of the Defence Ministry ’s land and buildings not in active use be handed over to the university. I wouldn’t mind, personally, provided no damage is done to the Defence Ministry’s interests. The Ministry of Economic Development should arrange for some form of compensation to be paid to the Defence Ministry. But, prior to that, the issue should be agreed upon between the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Education and Science . The idea is to put the grounds to good use with the assurance that the Defence Ministry’s interests aren’t undermined.
Now I’d like to return to some of our abundantly financed anti-crisis measures. I’ve asked the Finance Ministry to look into the effect those measures made in 2009 and 2010. Mr Kudrin will report to us on that now.
Alexei Kudrin: Ladies and gentlemen,
In February 2009, with the economic crisis at its peak, the government decided to allocate some 300 billion roubles in bailouts to companies involved in manufacturing industries. Two ad hoc commissions were set up to consider bids from civilian and defence-sector companies. The commissions provided 132 bailouts, worth a total 242.8 billion roubles.
Vladimir Putin: Meaning that almost all of the 300 billion roubles were disbursed?
Alexei Kudrin: Yes. Another 35.7 billion roubles was put on offer, but the bid for that bailout failed to meet the requirements. So, only 81% of the projected amount was released, in the end.
A total of 93 companies benefited from that money; 80.3 billion roubles has been paid back by now, some of it early.
There’s been one case of recalling a bailout over a break with credit regulations. The beneficiary of a 150-million-rouble bailout tried to change the contract in a manner not provided for in the regulations.
In a separate instance, a bank asked for 67 million roubles in overdue payments. There are other such cases currently under consideration, totaling 2 billion roubles. We’ll settle them with the creditor banks and will then force the recipient companies to meet their arrears. The banks that issued such loans will not be affected as they will receive our guarantee.
more to be posted soon...
источник новости: http://premier.gov.ru/eng/events/news/15217/
