Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to Russians that the way of life has changed in the past three months.
"Only three months have passed. Usually such a period - one quarter - flies by quickly, sometimes even unnoticed. But in these undoubtedly difficult days, weeks, months, we all had a very different sense of time, too much has been absorbed in them: a sharply changed way of life, forced restrictions on work and communication, anxiety and fear, and even the bitterness of loss, separation from family, loved ones, the thought of what will happen tomorrow, how to protect the closest people from harm, how to provide for family, children and support parents," the head of state said.
According to the President, Russian society was not confused by the threat of the coronavirus, which helped to find an answer to this challenge.
"It is very important that in our country, the society was not confused. On the contrary, as it happened in our history, many people were united by a clear understanding of the situation, the awareness of the real threat that it is possible to fight and win only together, and that human life is the main thing," the President said.
He stressed that the authorities acted on the basis of these values, and "that's why they were able to respond to the challenge of enormous complexity.
The head of state also reminded that all measures taken to combat the spread of COVID-19 were justified: it was they that saved tens of thousands of lives, while the flexible model of response to the coronavirus - federal restrictions and additional powers to regions - proved to be justified.
Thanks to the strengthening of sanitary protection measures at the border, Putin stressed, Russia managed to repel the first blow and delay the epidemic, "its peak for a month and a half or two".
At the same time, Putin noted that the virus is still dangerous, and urged the Russians to be careful until a vaccine appears. Confidence in its effectiveness and reliability should be 100%.
"Now 14 federal centers of Russia are working on the creation of a vaccine against the coronavirus. <...> And, what is very important, Russia is one of the few countries in the world that has managed to establish its own production of effective drugs to treat the coronavirus," he said.
However, Putin noted that the vaccine is not a cure-all, so it is possible to counteract the infection only by observing all preventive measures. In addition, he said, there are lessons to be learned from the epidemic, as many unresolved problems have emerged.
"The epidemic is not over yet. We still have to wait, to suppress this infection. But life takes its course, goes back to normal, to a normal rhythm. Yes, everyone has now accumulated a lot of tasks, concerns that will have to deal with in the near future and at home and at work. <...> I am sure that together we will certainly solve all the problems that arise, we will certainly make up for them, overcome both temporary and any other difficulties. We have already proved that we can do it," Putin summed up.
During the appeal, Vladimir Putin also proposed to raise the rate of personal income tax (PIT) from 13% to 15% for citizens with incomes over 5 million rubles per year from January 1, 2021.
"I propose the following: from January 1 next year to change the personal income tax rate from 13% to 15% for those who earn more than 5 million rubles per year," the president said in a televised address on Tuesday.
He stressed that "the increased rate will not be taxed on all incomes, but only the part of them that exceeds 5 millions." "But even this will give the budget about 60 billion rubles," Putin said.
The President also says that the Russian citizens will receive a one-time payment of 10 thousand rubles for children under 16 years of age in July.
"The most large-scale measure of support was a one-time payment of 10 thousand rubles in June for each child from 3 to 16 years old, these funds became a help for Russian families in difficult moments. At the same time, the economy has not yet fully earned, and unemployment has grown, while difficulties have not yet receded. In this regard, I consider it necessary to pay an additional 10 thousand rubles in July for each child from birth to 16 years," he said.
According to the president, a total of about 28 million children will be able to use this option in Russian families.
During his TV address, the President proposed the following support measures:
- The "coronavirus" payments to social workers should be extended by two months, until September 15;
- to increase PIT from 13% to 15% from January 1 for citizens who earn more than five million rubles a year;
- to allocate funds from the increase in the personal income tax (about 60 billion annually) for treatment of children with rare diseases;
- in July, pay another ten thousand roubles to families with a child under 16;
- to pay three thousand roubles per child and increased unemployment allowance in July to families where both parents have lost their jobs,
- to families where both parents have lost their jobs, to pay three thousand roubles per child and increased unemployment allowance in July and August;
- expand preferential mortgages for new housing from three to six million rubles, in Moscow and St. Petersburg to 12 million rubles;
- to allocate another 100 billion for a two percent concessional lending programme to companies (provided jobs are kept);
- extend the tax regime for the self-employed to the entire country from July 1 (it will be possible to get it in each region);
- grant self-employed status from the age of 16 instead of 18 (this will affect three million people, they will receive tax capital in the amount of one minimum wage);
- reduce the income tax for IT companies from 20% to 3%, their insurance premium rate to 7.6%;
- provide additional assistance to the subjects of the Federation - to allocate another 100 billion rubles;
- 100 billion will also be allocated to regions for road network renewal;
- entrepreneurs working abroad should be able to pay taxes in the amount of five million rubles per year without submitting tax reports;
- the government must provide for an increase in the share of effective spending on health care and education.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from RIA Novosti, TASS