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The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, First Deputy Prime Minister – Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Presidential Aide Andrei Belousov and Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

Today we will discuss important socio-economic issues and review additional proposals on promoting business activities, improving the investment climate and encouraging large infrastructure projects on road construction, transport and communications. Naturally, we will analyse our progress in the major areas of our social and demographic policy.

Before we start, I would like to note that in the first five months of this year the macro-economic situation has been generally stable. Positive trends are being posted in key areas.

Thus, in January–May industrial production increased by 3.2 percent. Agriculture grew by 2.5 percent. Freight traffic volume increased by 3.1 percent. Unemployment and inflation remain at low levels. We are seeing growth in real salary and income averages.

Of course, we need to remember that not all people feel this. We need to keep this in mind. But these are the statistics, and I hope they will continue so that most of our people will feel the positive effect of this economic performance.

That said, it is obvious that we are still facing system-wide problems and complications related to the structural specificities of our economy and the impact of external factors. No doubt, we should not relax because of the current positive trends.

We have to resolve serious tasks of increasing peoples’ incomes and enhancing the effectiveness and targeted orientation of social support. We must do all we can to increase labour productivity, the development of small- and medium-size businesses and the appearance of new high-tech production lines in Russia.

In general, it is necessary to give additional impetus to the domestic economy and initiate a long-term trend on enhancing its stability and improving living standards. These goals are reflected in the Executive Order on National Goals and Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation to 2024. As a reminder, before October 1 of this year the provisions of the Executive Order must be developed into specific national projects and programmes. Let me emphasise again at this point that it is very important to develop cooperation with the regions of Russia and ensure the organisational and financial alignment of the federal and regional programmes.

Let’s discuss all these issues today and see what we should do to resolve all of the above tasks.

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