Brief outline of the speech of Boris Maltsev at the XLIV Duma Session (November 25, 2010)

In November the world focused on global security matters. Russia-NATO summit was held in Lisbon. The Russian President, his American counterpart, and NATO leaders emphasized that the cooldown period and reclamations are ghosts of the past. Dmitry Medvedev named the main dimensions for the future cooperation: counter-terrorism, anti-piracy campaigns, the Missile Defense Shield in Europe. This decision was already named a “diplomatic breakthrough” and the major outcome of the summit.

Economy is still prioritized on the world’s agenda. The world major currencies – US dollar, euro and Chinese yuan – have maintained their complex relations. The US returned to their greenback emission – money stock is being increased by 600bn US dollars. The draft budgets of European countries include unprecedented measures to reduce expenditure, which will inevitably strike a blow at a greater part of the population. People are threatening the governments with strikes. Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Greece are in the hottest seats.

The home policy of the country was marked with a personal reception of citizens held by Dmitry Medvedev via videoconference. The regional centers already have 83 presidential reception offices. Most appeals of the citizens concerned the problems of housing and public utilities, housing, quality of social services. All this is true for Tomsk Oblast as well. These problems require targeted practical measures at all levels of the local government.

Status of regional parliaments will be advanced by the adopted law that will change the procedure of forming the Federation Council. Under the President’s initiative the Upper Chamber will no longer approve the decisions to vest the senators with relevant authorities.

The most significant event in Tomsk Oblast was the Congress of Siberian education employees and the X Siberian Forum for education “Education as a resource for innovative development of Siberia.” Viktor Tolokonsky, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to Siberian Federal District, participated at the Congress and Forum.

Socioeconomic development indicators of the Oblast in January-October 2010

	Dispatched goods growth rate, % to Jan-Oct 2009 (current prices)	Industrial output index, % to Jan-Oct 2009
Dispatched goods of own manufacture	123.5	106.2
Extraction of fuel and energy resources	127.8	100.3
Refining industry	119.2	116.1
Wood processing	97.2	129.8
Chemical industry	148.7	102.9
Generation of electric power, gas, and water	119.5	110.4
Construction – 21bn	- 75.2	75.2
Housing commissioning – 264,000 m2	- 80.5	80.5
Cash income (average per capita)	Nominal 107.1	Actual 100.8
Consolidated price index for construction materials	107.4
Investment in fixed assets – 48.837bn rubles	98.7
Birth rate	10,238
Death rate	9,968
Migration rate	+ 3,666

The above table shows that the most complicated situation is in the domains of construction and investment in fixed assets. Housing commissioning is a major concern – only 80% against the previous year. Tomsk Mayor’s Office must develop a procedure; adopt a special remedy program, monitor construction and provide real support in construction of utilities.

About the verdict for the ex-major of Tomsk Aleksander Makarov

One more event captured attention of Tomsk citizens which defamed Tomsk throughout Siberia, Russia and the world. Here I mean a tough verdict for Aleksander Makarov – 12 years of imprisonment.

The jury delivered a guilty verdict. This is a lesson to all city mayors, all leaders of municipal governments. This is a warning to all who hold a position in the government. Serve the country and people faithfully, and you’ll never end up under a tough sentence.

About the plans to create 20 large agglomerations

Tomsk is assigned a role of a district center of Novosibirsk agglomeration. Unfortunately we appear to be totally unprepared to such momentous reformations. Since 2003 we have been talking about Tomsk agglomeration but haven’t done anything to make it happen. Ambitions of Tomsk and Seversk Mayors and the Head of Tomsk District turned to be more important than the interests of 700,000 citizens living in these territories. We are not able to draw proper lessons from the history. We hope that the Oblast administration will say the last word in this situation.

About innovations

In actual fact we are left with the only resource which is innovations. The new era can be called a stage of innovative development of economy. We need modernization as a breath of air, we need innovative economy – it’s absolutely correct.

If we want the human being to be really free and ready to soak its mind with innovations, it means we want democratization to be the vital component of the modernization.

About the agenda

Today’s agenda covers lots of “technical” issues related to refining and enacting the laws adopted earlier so that they keep up with real life.

We are going to review a number of bills on education and amend laws under which we allocate subsidies to municipal governments.

In a regular competition for allocation of subsidies under government support for small and medium business Tomsk Oblast won additional 23.75m rubles. This money will be given to the exporters. A new regional center for export support is being established as well.

During “A Governor’s Hour” the First Deputy Mayor of Tomsk Evgeny Parshuto will report to us on the outlook for groundwater intake. This issue is claiming great attention. What we currently have is the absence of a sanitary protection zone plan, strict limitations for allocation of land lots for construction, clear cutting of the forests in the Ob-Tomsk interfluve – all these are unpleasant prerequisites which may cause serious implications in the future. We must not let it happen.