PRESS RELEASE*

The Government of the Russian Federation at its meeting on April 10, 2008 made the following decisions on the issues on its agenda.

1. On the plan of activities to achieve the quantitative and qualitative targets set for 2008 for the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

The Government of the Russian Federation has taken note of the report on the issue delivered by the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

The meeting approved, with due account of the discussion held, the plan of activities to achieve the quantitative and qualitative targets set for 2008 for the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

The Justice Ministry of Russia, the Defense Ministry of Russia, the Finance Ministry of Russia, Rostourism, Rostekhnadzor, FST of Russia, Rossvyazokhrankultura have been given ten days to submit to the Government of the Russian Federation plans of activities to achieve the quantitative and qualitative targets set for 2008 for the federal body of executive power concerned.

2. On results of the discussion at the meetings of the Government of the Russian Federation of issues pertaining to the social and economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation.

The Government of the Russian Federation has taken note of the report by the Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation on the said issue.

The proposed approaches to the deliberations at the meetings of the Government of the Russian Federation on the issues of social and economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation have been approved.

The federal bodies of executive power concerned have been instructed, before May 15, 2008, to submit to the Russian Ministry of Regions proposals on criteria of effectiveness of the exercise of the powers of the federal bodies of executive power which have been delegated to the executive power bodies of the regions of the Russian Federation as well as the activities of territorial bodies of federal executive power.

The Ministry of Regions of Russia, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, jointly with other federal bodies of executive power concerned, with due account of the proposals submitted, shall develop and submit by June 1, 2008 to the Government Commission on Assessing the Effectiveness of the Activities of Federal and Regional Executive Power Bodies methodological recommendations on the preparation of the report on the results of the activities of executive power bodies of regions of the Russian Federation in the report period.

The Ministry of Regions, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Finance Ministry of Russia, jointly with other federal bodies of executive power concerned have been instructed before July 1, 2008 to prepare and submit in due procedure to the Government of the Russian Federation proposals on introducing amendments to the Statute on Reports on the Results and main areas of activities of the subjects of budget planning approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 22, 2004 No.249 On Measures to Enhance the Effectiveness of Budgetary Spending as regards regional aspects of their activities.

The Russian Ministry of Regions shall also:

• develop and approve the methodology of selecting the regions of the Russian Federation and on its basis form a list of the regions of the Russian Federation whose social and economic development issues are to be considered at the meetings of the Government of the Russian Federation. The relevant information shall be submitted to the Government of the Russian Federation before June 1, 2008;
• develop and submit before June 1, 2008 to the Government Commission on Assessing the Effectiveness of the Activities of Federal and Regional Executive Power Bodies draft regulations on the preparation of documents relevant to the consideration of the above issues at the meetings of the Government of the Russian Federation.

In considering at the meeting of the Government Commission on Assessing the Effectiveness of the Activities of Federal and Regional Executive Power Bodies the report on the results of the activities of executive power bodies of a Russian region, the heads of the federal executive power bodies shall cause the preparation of corresponding proposals on the said reports and ensure participation in the discussion thereof.

3. On the draft federal law On Annulment of Article 19 of the Federal Law On Priority Measures of Budgetary and Tax Policy and the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Article 19 of the Federal Law on the Priority Measures of Budgetary and Tax Policy.

The meeting approved the draft federal law On Annulment of Article 19 of the Federal Law on Priority Measures of Budgetary and Tax Policy and the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Article 19 of the Federal Law on the Priority Measures of Budgetary and Tax Policy and decided to introduce it at the State Duma in accordance with due procedure.

4. On draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law On Fire Safety.

The meeting approved the draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on Fire Safety and decided to introduce it at the State Duma in accordance with established procedure.

5. On introducing amendments to Decree No.400 of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 30, 2004.

The meeting approved the draft decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on the said issue.

6. On introducing amendments to the Statute on the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency

The meeting adopted the draft decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on the said issue.

7. On introducing amendments to some enactments of the Government of the Russian Federation on issues of government youth policy.

The meeting adopted a draft resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation on the said issue.

April 11, 2008
Moscow

* Decisions on the items of the agenda are taken with due account of the remarks and proposals made at the government meeting and are issued in the form of official documents of the Government of the Russian Federation.