| Television Interview.Part 2 February 15, 2009 Moscow Беседа ведущего программы «Вести недели» Евгения Ревенко с Дмитрием Медведевым 15 февраля 2009 года Москва DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Of course this is probably the biggest and most painful challenge facing us today. Such crises always mean a reduction in the number of jobs, factory closures and an increase in unemployment. Unfortunately that is what is happening in our country as well. And the numbers you cited are the figures for those officially registered as unemployed. There is also unofficial unemployment and we have to attend to it as well. But of course the most important thing is to prepare effective measures. What are these measures? First, we have to raise unemployment benefits beyond their current levels. This is in the short term, but in the longer term of course we have to find other jobs for these people. If production stops or closes temporarily, we need to direct our efforts, including public finance, towards the creation of new jobs, and this is in effect what is now taking place. At this point we are working with the regions to prepare special programmes to create new jobs. These programmes will be funded by the central government, that is by the country itself, the Russian Federation, and by the regions. For this purpose we have allocated an additional 44 billion roubles [about $1.3 billion]. With this money we have to create new jobs, including small businesses and new industries, and create new projects ... |
