A citizen from Omsk shows his garbage-collection bills, discusses how the rates have gone up although the service is still as bad as ever. Putin says that earlier the rates were not properly calculated to take into account the real cost of dealing with the garbage. Says he needs to look into the figures that the Omsk guy has presented. "I will definitely ask" officials to look into it, Putin said.
Moderator moves on to the topic of the "garbage theme," including protests over overflowing landfills and proposed new ones. Read letters from people saying the "garbage reform" is not working and sending photographs of garbage in the streets, forests, etc. Moderator welcomes a 15-year-old Instagram blogger who says she and her readers are worried about the environment and garbage. She asks Putin if he has any problems to resolve the problems. Putin says they have been working on it for two or three years. Says the problem has been accumulating for years and no one has devoted energy to processing waste. Putin mentions the garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean. Says, "of course, we are going to work on this." Putin notes that many people are complaining about the raising rates for garbage collection, but that this money is needed to cope with the problems. Says he "hopes we'll be able to put things in order quite soon."
Putin's been very low on specifics so far. His statement a few minutes ago is pretty representative of the performance so far (if I noted it right): "We must change the structure of economy, make it more technological...to ensure the education of our citizens."
A caller from Moscow asks what results have been achieved by the National Projects. Putin said that he already answered this question, saying that the projects helped the government concentrate resources on problems facing ordinary citizens. Putin says the main thing is to "change the structure of our economy," to develop high technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, etc. Then on this foundation they will have the resources to address other problems. Moderator asks "when will people feel the results of the National Projects" and Putin says they should already be feeling them now -- this year and next year. Putin again mentions "several unfavorable outside factors," apparently meaning low energy prices and sanctions against Russia.
- By Carl Schreck
Veteran Russian journalist Nikolai Rudensky says Putin's statement that boosting real wages depends on boosting productivity echoes the line by Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko in 1984: "In order to live better, it is necessary to work better."
Correspondent interrupts Skvortsova in the middle of her speech to ask about the shortages of medicines. She talks about how the federal government was monitoring various regions and uncovered "serious defects" in how medicines are purchased and distributed. Correspondent again interrupts her and cuts her off. Putin then adds they have doubled federal spending on cancer medicines.
Notes that many people are complaining about the lack of crucial medicines. Says federal budget for medicine has been distributed to the regions. Says some regions have "warehouses" full of medicines that aren't being distributed. Says that regional leaders need to prioritize medicines, which they often don't do. Then Putin gives the microphone to Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, who discusses the relationship between the federal government and local administrations.
Putin says that wages for health-sector workers are rising "overall across the whole country." Admits that there are regions where salaries are "very small." "We need to even this out," he said.
As for accessibility of care, Putin admits that the "optimization" of health care has led to the closure of many small facilities. Says the government is working on this, including training new people and buying new equipment. Says the federal government has allocated money for housing for doctors and local officials are responsible for building it.
Putin admits that there are problems with health care but says the sector is developing. First problem is accessibility of care. Second problem is shortage of health personnel. Third problem is quality of care.