Meeting with deputy prime ministers
Excerpts from the transcript:
Mikhail Mishustin: Good afternoon, colleagues. A tragedy happened today at the Perm State National Research University. An armed attack was perpetrated against people who had no way of defending themselves. There were casualties. This is an enormous tragedy for their families and friends, for the region, as well as for all of us.
At the instruction of the President, the Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov and Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko are already on their way to Perm in order to be able to take timely measures on the ground.
The victims and their relatives will receive all the assistance they will need, including medical and psychological help. It is essential that we support people in these hard times.
On my personal behalf, and on behalf of the Government, I wish a speedy recovery to all the wounded, and I would like to express my sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. The entire country mourns your loss and sends you its heartfelt sympathy.
Let us now move on to our agenda for today. The Government has approved a plan of activities for carrying out the Demographic Policy Concept.
This is the first time that we have adopted a comprehensive document of this kind. It combines new, unprecedented measures with the existing mechanisms.
Together, these tools are designed to achieve national socioeconomic development goals as set forth by the President. Boosting the size of the population and life expectancy are the primary objectives.
It would be impossible to improve the demographic situation without better and more accessible health services and care for the older generation. It is for this reason that healthcare is essential for delivering on these objectives for people of all ages.
At the same time, this plan aims to boost the birth rate and well-being for families with children. During a meeting with Government members, the President emphasised that creating an integrated framework for supporting such families is essential. This is factored into the plan of activities for carrying out the policy concept we are discussing today.
Ms Golikova (addressing Tatyana Golikova), could you please share some details on how we are going to implement the goals stipulated in the Demographic Policy Concept.
Tatyana Golikova: Mr Mishustin, colleagues,
As you noted, this plan is a single document that cannot be considered in isolation from other strategic documents aimed at attaining the Russian Federation’s national development goals.
This document is aimed at overcoming the influence of the negative demographic trends that have developed in Russia in recent years. It includes seven sections.
The first section has to do with popularising and promoting traditional family values and active ageing. We expect to support at least 70 non-profits that work to protect families and children and foster responsible parenting during the implementation period.
It is planned to disseminate the best practices of “silver volunteering” in the regions so that older people can lead a more active lifestyle and feel needed by society.
The second section concerns improving the quality of life of families with children, increasing the birth rate and raising the social standing of families.
Measures will continue to improve the position of families through the implementation of the Demography National Project. By 2024, 2.5 million families in Russia will be receiving social support.
As you have already noted, following the President’s instructions, we will continue building an integral system of state support for families with children based on the ‘social treasury’ principles, to minimise the risk of such families sliding into poverty.
The third group of measures is aimed at protecting children’s health, developing a system for early detection and treatment of congenital diseases, improving the reproductive health of adults as well as adolescents. The rate of early fetal screening for pregnant women will be increased to 80 percent. By 2025, the number of IVF cycles covered by the mandatory health insurance programme will reach 80,000. On your instructions, Mr Mishustin, neonatal screening for hereditary diseases will be expanded to 36 nosologies.
Another important section has to do with increasing the availability of medical care to reduce mortality rates and increase life expectancy. Special emphasis is placed on increasing the role of primary healthcare in identifying the risks of developing cardiovascular and oncological diseases, on the introduction of special screening programmes that ensure the timely diagnosis of diseases that can lead to adverse consequences in the future.
The plan calls for a qualitative as well as a quantitative increase in the availability of diagnostic and treatment methods, so that at least 80 percent of cardiovascular and oncological diseases are detected in the early stages at primary care facilities. In four years, these tests should embrace almost 80 million Russians. Measures will continue to provide free medication to patients who have suffered acute cardiovascular diseases, as well as COVID-19 patients. By 2025, at least 90 percent of patients with a high risk of complications of such diseases will be under regular follow-up observation and will receive medication.
This is the first action plan that has a separate section covering health issues at the workplace. Employers who create safe working conditions, encourage their employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle and do regular checkups will be entitled to some support. The creation of a system of industrial medicine, regardless of the size of the workforce, will ensure continuity in monitoring workers’ health and working out individual health programmes for them. The result will be a decrease in the incidence of occupational diseases.
The health of older people is our special priority. We will continue to develop the gerontological service that deals specifically with older people. They will receive medical care at home whenever necessary. Moreover, we will promote active longevity, maintaining the physical activity of elders, and involving them in a social life.
Ultimately, the final section includes measures to motivate people to lead a healthy lifestyle and go in for physical fitness and sports, which will also help them strengthen health, reduce the death rate and, hence, increase the expected life span. I would like to use this opportunity to ask the regions to tailor their regional programmes as soon as possible to the Government-approved plan and adjust their relevant indicators accordingly.
Mikhail Mishustin: Thank you, Ms Golikova. Implementing this plan is a large-scale project. It is important to carry out in full all the measures of this plan. The future development of the country will depend on the demographic situation.
I would like to mention one more important area that the President paid special attention to in his Address to the Federal Assembly. I am referring to the challenges caused by climate change.
The world economy intends to make a gradual transition to low-carbon energy and this is already a new reality. We must prepare for the gradual reduction of traditional fuels – oil, gas and coal. We must increase energy efficiency, develop alternative energy sources and create the relevant infrastructure.
Before the end of the year, we must draft and endorse an integrated plan of action to adapt our economy to this global energy transition. We have signed the relevant instructions.
We will establish special working groups to be supervised by deputy prime ministers. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will be in charge of general coordination.
We have discussed this at several meetings, including in the Coordination Centre. Mr Belousov, please tell us how you plan to organise this.
Andrei Belousov: Mr Mishustin, colleagues,
The global energy transition, or so-called decarbonisation, is a key issue today. It largely determines the economic policy of the world’s leading countries, including the EU countries, China and the United States.
Various countries are drafting different regulatory measures around this, and we must react to them, consider them, and suggest our own agenda.
These are not simply measures to counter climate change. They are aimed at organising the transition of the world’s leading economies to a new technological paradigm based on minimising the use of fossil-fuel energy sources. In scale, this change is comparable to the industrial revolution of the 18th-19th centuries or the second change, the scientific and technical revolution of the 20th century. Within just 10 to 15 years, we are bound to see a very different structure of the global economy.
Competing with each other, our international partners are looking for ways of achieving their economic and political goals. In the process, they often impose their positions on other countries and set new requirements for international trade. Under these circumstances, it is critical for Russia, first, to be among the leaders of this global process and, second, to create its own agenda of energy transition in the context of the global debate. We are in for a lot of comprehensive work. We are facing a multi-aspect task that includes technological, regulatory, political and social issues, as well as questions of international cooperation. Proceeding from this premise, what should we determine as the key areas of our efforts?
First, we need to step up the technical modernisation of industry, including using the latest technology. This mechanism is already in place. We need to activate it and adjust it to the objectives of the energy transition.
Second, we definitely need to see to it that the processes that are based on our technological and natural advantages, including our forests’ absorption capacity, are internationally recognised whereas we will be implementing internationally sourced best practices, especially those from the OECD nations.
Third, we need to fine-tune the regulatory system, the support system and tax incentives. It is imperative to encourage companies to upgrade their transition to green technologies and to cut emissions. I want to note that this is a gradual process rather than a fast move. We will work on it jointly with the business community.
Fourth, we need to implement the areas related to our country's technology edge and disruptive technologies. That includes, for example, hydrogen production and use, nuclear and hydro-power engineering and coal chemistry technology, as well as hydrocarbon collection and storage technologies. Climate projects in forestry and agriculture are on that list as well.
Fifth, we need to take into account the specifics and capabilities of individual regions, especially in the context of new international trade requirements.
Mr Mishustin, colleagues, this is not an exhaustive list of the areas of focus, of which there are ten in all. As you noted, working groups have been set up for each one of them, and they are overseen by the corresponding deputy prime ministers and headed by deputy ministers. Each working group will include representatives from the business community, expert and public organisations, as well as the research and education community. We will engage a wide range of organisations for expert analytical support, including the Centre for Strategic Research.
Our plan for this year includes primarily putting together a long-term forecast to 2050 which will form the basis for developing and making decisions. It includes parameters such as the energy balance, carbon balance, macroeconomic parameters, GDP growth rates, trade variables, investment, growth of real income, and more. It will include an assessment of our capabilities and risks, as well. The main variables of the forecast should be ready by 1 October. The working group in charge will build on this to form an operational action plan which will be approved by the end of the year.
Mikhail Mishustin: Thank you, Mr Belousov.
Of course, we need to assess all the risks and challenges facing the country. The accuracy of the forecast will largely determine the success of the national development goals set by the President for the next 10 years.
One more question. Last summer, a number of our country’s southern regions, including Crimea, were hit hard by heavy rains. Rivers overflowed and flooded roads and private property. The Government will provide additional assistance to the region. About half a billion rubles will be allocated to provide relief.
Most of it - almost 400 million - will go to residents of the republic for purchasing or building new housing or overhauling their existing housing. The funds will be used to buy houses and flats and to repair over 33,000 sq m of housing.
The rest of the funding will be used to clean riverbeds clogged by heavy rainfall in the municipal district of Yalta and the Bakhchisarai District. Cleaning the debris will not only help restore the rivers’ natural flow, but also mitigate the likelihood of further flooding.
