Transcript of Putin's Press Conference

No need to rush government reshuffle

[Moderator] Reuters, please.

[Question] Vladimir Vladimirovich, you have spoken many times about changes in the government but that decision has been put off. Could you say when these changes can be expected? Will they be substantial? And what will the new cabinet be like after that decision?

[Putin] My colleague has just prompted me: Reuter was 150 years old yesterday, and I would like to congratulate you and your colleagues on that anniversary. [Pause and slight stumble] We respect your work and always follow it with great care. Yours is one of the most serious agencies in the world. So my congratulations from the bottom of my heart.

As for the Russian government, I must say that you have not properly followed our statements. I will explain why. Your question was why the time-scale for changes has been moved. But who has talked about time-scales? No-one ever - not a single official - has spoken at any time of any deadlines for a restructuring of the Russian government. And neither did I.

What we did speak about - and I spoke about it too in my own speeches – was that Russian bureaucracy is not any worse than the bureaucracy of any other European or North American country. But nor is it any better. And that is one of the problems we must address. Therefore, of course, time presents its own demands - just like in the sphere of legislation. There are many ways in which we can argue about whether it is right or wrong to pass a new labour code. But it is quite clear that the old code was drawn up in 1972 to serve the interests of a planned economy, where the state was responsible for everything. But today it is impossible to have such a code.

The state cannot bear responsibility for everything because it does not deliver all the services that a market economy delivers. The same applies to the administrative bodies of power and government, including the government. The government should comply with the functions which are entrusted in the state in present-day conditions. I do not think that everything in this country has been arranged perfectly from the administrative point of view where it comes to preparing, taking and implementing decisions. I am absolutely confident that much needs to be improved here. But this applies not only to the government but to the entire administrative system. In many ways this applies to the regions. We have discussed this repeatedly with the government leaders.

No revolutionary changes should be expected here. This issue will be prepared in a calm and planned manner. When we have come to the view that this issue has been sufficiently prepared and worked through and is ready to be endorsed, it will be endorsed, without any haste, let me reiterate this. That is why one should not look for any sensation here, for there is simply none to be found.

This is a working issue. This is not just a discussion aimed at scaring someone or to say that someone will be sacked from the government. This is an issue of substance. You know, personalities are not at issue - it does not matter who and where will be moved or sacked - the thing is that this should be done so as to ensure that the main administrative structure of Russia functions in a more efficient manner.

To this end we are involving not only government officials themselves but management experts too. I believe we shall certainly be consulting State Duma deputies. In short, as soon as a decision is reached it will be implemented.