“Russia will survive, all Peremoga and stand. The only question is – at what cost? – said Vladimir Putin. – If you remember the 90s, of course, it would be very difficult.” And humanitarian assistance because then sent as the poorest country. “That hunger is not dead! That’s how we live! We could not do without foreign loans to pay the salary. And were not paid for six months,” recalled the head of state.
But from 1999 to 2019 the GDP doubled, the economy has doubled. The difference in the budget of the 90-ies and now is huge. “Our reserves have increased by 50 times over the years,” he said. “Yes, we still have a lot to do to diversify the economy, but it is happening, in fact it is a different country. What we have done in recent years, enables us to hope that we finally will come out of this situation with dignity and with minimal losses,” – said Putin.
the Priority in the crisis was social support. “The main thing is to preserve the life and health of people, then the rest of the problems we solve,” he said. “This is consistent with the moral code of Russian citizens”, – said the head of state. “When they say: “I will be healthy or have been ill easily, and there though the grass not to grow”, is a manifestation of the individualism inherent in the West”, he added.
Putin said that there were opponents of direct payments to citizens who believed enough to support sectors of the economy. “But I felt that it was still the wrong approach… People want to support, and parallel – to- business,” he said.
the President noted that the number of cases of coronavirus in Russia the third place, and in the number of fatalities is one of the lowest rates in the world. The situation is improving, therefore, no doubt, was able to perform a task – to protect citizens from this plague, he said. The health care system is flexible and mobilization, praised the President.
Putin told that every 3-4 days makes tests for coronavirus and all of them negative. And also agreed that risk when I went to the hospital in Kommunarka. All were against, but the risk was justified: “it is One thing to know on the reports, and another thing – come to see.” Also, according to him, was acquitted and risk associated with visits to war zones: “I need to be there. And here I had to be at the hospital and see how everything is organized.”
The more did not hurt the Prime Minister, “therefore, a degree of freedom of behavior at the highest levels I had,” he said. And reminded of the rule: the head of state and the Prime Minister should never fly at the same time even on different planes. “Because we have a special responsibility for the situation in the country,” he said.
the Work in an online format, with no personal meetings became Putin’s challenge. “I ��leaves the inner satisfaction – direct contact with people,” he explained. But the President understood that circumstances require changes to the operation.
Putin said that the first year has no right to even think about what to give up – and in General, and in critical situations – even more so. “On the contrary, this situation needs all and me, and those people who are close to me and are working to mobilize for the solution of the tasks facing the country,” he explained.
the Work of the government during the crisis, Putin satisfied: “Many colleagues came to his duties on the senior posts recently, but the selection was successful. It turned out to be the occasion, proved themselves as competent professionals, very responsible people.” Commenting on the situation with payments to physicians, the President explained that there was no sloppiness, “Just people’s different understand. But I assure you, all plowed and the plow from morning until night and are very responsible attitude to their duties. Me it can not but rejoice”.
In General, he believes that the coronavirus was sent to the world as a test: “once all accustomed to the fact that everything is so consistently good. All of it happened: someone who directs, someone thinks, what drives the world, and it turned out that it is not so!” Putin urged the international community to understand that “joint efforts to combat common threats is extremely important, and superficial things related to any cost to ensure their dominance, these selfish approaches to building relations on the international arena lead to a dead end”.
the President doesn’t support the conspiracy theory of the origin COVID-19 and urges to resist infection, and not “tell” where it came from. It is important to understand what is happening and to build a system of protection, he said.
