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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: How are you doing, Mr Vorobyov?

Governor of the Moscow Region Andrei Vorobyov: Everything is steady, thank God. I would like to report on the socioeconomic situation as of the end of the year.

Overall, it’s business as usual with the economy adding 3 percent this year. Industry is up 12 percent, just like last year.

The agricultural programme is also being supported at the federal level, and there is great interest in the Moscow Region.

We plan to increase budget revenue by 9 percent. This allows us to carry out the policy outlined in the presidential executive orders. We are going at a fast pace, especially in the healthcare system: the infant mortality rate stands at 3.7, which is very low. We are investing in oncology centres, and this allows us to keep them in proper order.

As for investment, this is, perhaps, the most difficult matter we are dealing with, and we are trying to draw investors. With the Government support, we have created three economic areas and industrial parks in order for investors to come to sites with infrastructure already in place.

This year, 650 billion rubles will be invested in the Moscow Region, and that is why we rank second in Russia in terms of economic indicators. Our goal is to create jobs and keep up the good work.

We have implemented an ambitious programme to build a perinatal centre. I reported to you about it in 2013. The Moscow Region didn’t have a hospital where women could give birth in a safe and comfortable environment and enjoy high-quality medical services.

This year – with your support – we opened five perinatal centres, which will accommodate the absolute majority of baby deliveries, not only from our region, but other regions as well, in the Moscow Region maternity centres. I mentioned infant mortality earlier – we owe such results to this programme.

Schools are an important issue for the Moscow Region as well. The population of the region grows by 100,000 annually, and the number of pupils expands by 40,000 as well. We try to keep up with such increases by building more schools.

Prior to 2018, we used to build 20–22 schools a year. Beginning next year, we will need to build twice as many, that is, about 45–50 schools, if we want to avoid two shifts at Moscow Region schools.

With regard to the instructions that you issued during the Direct Line…

Vladimir Putin: I'm listening.

Andrei Vorobyov: There were 90 of them. We are not only keeping tabs on them, but also implementing them with 67 already completed. The Kuchino landfill is the most sensitive of them all.

The residents approached you with complaints about its improper condition. We shut it down, as I reported to you earlier, and are now conducting a reclamation project. We are doing our best to make sure that the landfill does not bother people.

It looked terrible. We have completely filled it in with dirt and drilled 50 holes in order to remove accumulated gas. We did it in conjunction with an Austrian contractor. In March, we will begin comprehensive reclamation of that plot of land.

You supported us with money. Without your help, it would have been impossible to put together that much money, about four billion rubles. We should be able to reclaim the landfill in a matter of 12 months. That is, it will no longer bother the residents.

With regard to solid waste management in general, we are working on it closely with the federal Government and the Moscow Government. We have identified further joint steps, we realise that this is a serious matter, and we need to resolve it in a collaborative effort.

There was also an instruction regarding a large family. The residents were worried about a river crossing, and you issued an instruction to help resolve the issue, because the pontoon bridge was not available during the spring.

Accordingly, we met with the residents of the village of Grishino.

Vladimir Putin: Have you helped them?

Andrei Vorobyov: Yes, we have. We will put in a ferry, which will look like this. (Shows the paperwork.)

They asked us for a ferryboat without an engine, because ice can damage it. This is the ferry they asked for.

Vladimir Putin: All right.

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