The situation is urgent but not critical

"RG" decided to seek comments on the Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Alexander D., What is the ideology of anti-crisis plan? How can we invest more public funds to fight the crisis, is betting on innovative development and to achieve fundamental reform of the economy? Alexander Zhukov: The ideology is simple - get out of the crisis with a renewed economy based on domestic sources of growth. Help keep the businesses that have clear, precise plans for production of competitive products, aimed at innovation, but are experiencing temporary financial difficulties. Our main task - to preserve the maximum possible number of jobs to avoid massive layoffs, especially where it is difficult to find another job - this applies primarily core enterprises. At the same time to create new jobs for those who lost their jobs - through public procurement, construction, roads and housing, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, public and temporary jobs. And finally, do not panic and do not abandon previously selected priorities in the social sector - to improve the quality of health care, education, increased pensions and benefits. RG: Why is the government's program begins with the words that the public promises will be fulfilled without fail? Is six months ago, they were not fulfilled? Zhukov: Six months ago nobody could imagine that the budget revenues in 2009 will fall by one third compared with last year. If it were not accumulated reserves, then we simply would not be possible to deliver on earlier promises without the inclusion of the printing press and foreign loans. And although the reserves are not endless - if you spend at a pace they will last for two years with a little - the Government increases from 8.5 per cent, as originally planned, the size of the indexation of pensions and social benefits of up to 13 percent. Once this has required additional expenditure of almost 400 billion rubles. And if we add the funds to increase unemployment benefits, the extra money for medicine, housing for veterans, assistance to the regions - mainly in the social sphere - that they have received around 800 billion rubles. That is why it is important to realize that, despite serious problems with the budget, social commitment and support of the population in this period - the main priorities of the anti-crisis program. RG: The last 10 years in the government say that we need to get off "the oil needle '. How can this be done? The program, in particular, referred to the innovative development. How it will be stimulated? Zhukov: To develop the competitiveness of non-oil sectors of the economy. Continue the implementation of development programs initiated by aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding, automotive industry to support the development of agriculture. Does not reduce the allocation of funds for science and research and development that will contribute to further development. All these areas are stored in crisis budget. Now, of course, it is important to efficiently dispose of the means, not "profukannyh" accumulated oil revenues, and create a groundwork for further development and significantly reduce its dependence on world prices for our raw materials. By the way, to this end, reduced duties on imported technological equipment is not produced in Russia, reduced corporate income taxes, accelerated depreciation. In general, the strategic course for innovative development, as defined in the Concept of long-term socio-economic development until 2020, is preserved, despite the crisis. RG: There is much talk about the need to stimulate demand. One way - to provide access to credit. But in the action no mention of lowering the refinancing rate. How is it possible to increase the domestic demand? Beetles: lack of accessible and affordable long-term loans, in my opinion, the main problem hindering recovery. Businesses that can sustain a rate of 25 percent per annum, the industry is almost non-existent. However, it is clear that the main reason for such a high rate - inflation. That's why one of the main priorities of anti-crisis program - responsible macroeconomic policies aimed at reducing inflation in 2010 to 10 percent, and in 2014 - up 7.5 percent. In 2009, the anti-crisis program provides interest rate subsidies for priority industries, as well as providing state guarantees for loans for the backbone and defense businesses. These measures, of course, does not solve all problems, but can significantly reduce the cost of financial resources for the most important industries. State demand for products and services to Russian companies will also be supported through investment projects in transport, telecommunications, implemented in the framework of federal targeted programs and investment and infrastructure projects Invest fund. Housing construction, I should note - this is an economic and social priority of government policy. Will support mortgage borrowers eligible for the parent capital - and that nearly 90 thousand families. In the stimulus package included restructuring of mortgage debt, the fulfillment of social obligations to the soldiers and veterans of World War II, as well as young families - all this will support the construction sector, though public money. In this case, organizational and financial support for private demand for new housing for socially acceptable prices, too, need, and the government intends to develop it as an anti-crisis measure. For example, an important part of this support was a decision that allows organizations to include in expenses amounts paid in reimbursement of employees for the purchase or construction of housing, as well as double deduction from income tax the citizens who purchased homes. RG: You have said that the main objective of the Government's anti-crisis program - to save jobs. How acute is the situation with unemployment? What has been done to reduce it in the regions? Zhukov: Total in Russia now 6.4 million unemployed, according to estimates made by the method of the ILO. Registered as unemployed with the employment service - 2,164,000 people. For comparison - in October 2008 there were 1,247,000 people. Last week, their number is increasing by an average of 30,000 people. And this despite the fact that in the first months of 2009 was the peak week, when the layoffs were much higher rate. The situation is urgent and requires proactive regional and federal authorities in the labor market, but not critical. Government completes the work started in October, together with our social partners, employers and trade unions to monitor the situation on the labor market, which allows you to quickly assess the manifestations of the crisis in employment and proactive solutions. Nearly completed work with the regions to prepare anti-crisis program - that it has a set of specific solutions to support the labor market, and it was under their allocated additional funding. Each program is based on economic assessments of the situation of the Federation and its businesses and the outlook for employment of workers of these enterprises. The cost of the approved programs - about 25 billion rubles. On anti-crisis measures in the labor market, the budget provides 43.7 billion rubles. Thus, if the situation continues to deteriorate, we have a margin of safety. By the way, returning to fiscal policy as an anti-crisis measure, - the cost of reduced by the decision of the government administrative expenses is approximately equal to the size of the funds allocated for crisis management work in the labor market in the regions. RG: And what is the effectiveness of the proposed government measures to support the labor market? Zhukov: The implementation of programs to be created more than 980,000 temporary jobs for workers threatened with dismissal. More than 173 thousand workers will receive training, retraining and skills development. Nearly 50,000 graduates of educational institutions will be trained. At least 48 thousand people will receive support for their entrepreneurial initiative, which, in addition to ensuring their own employment, will create at least an additional 150,000 jobs in small businesses. Targeted financial support will be allocated no less than 15 thousand citizens who move to a temporary or permanent work in another locality. Here on these factors we will determine the effectiveness of measures to support the labor market for each region. And the overall number of registered unemployed - in 2009 should not exceed 2.8 million people. RG: The proposed measure in terms of drug market seems anti-market. How to set the maximum selling price in pharmacies? How to be negotiated with intermediaries? Zhukov: The decision to introduce compulsory registration procedure prices for essential drugs. In addition, a fixed ceiling on trade margins. Unfortunately, until now, had no authority to control prices of medicines. But now such an order given by the Federal Tariff Service. The Government also intends to revise the minimum range of medicines, which should be in every pharmacy institutions in order to avoid disruptions in the supply of the population. I do not see anything anti-market in these decisions - only social protection and a barrier of speculation. RG: The government announced that the turnaround plan will be widely discussed in society. What additions to his already arrived? Zhukov: Talk really is very broad, and receives a set of proposals. In this case, I note that in fact our social partners - trade unions and employers - were connected to the development of anti-crisis decisions from the first day. So most of the initiatives already in the stimulus package is taken into account. Among the proposals received considerable attention, in my opinion, deserves a measure that gives the greatest positive multiplier effect for economic development - increasing state support of affordable housing.