Speaking at a gala evening, the head of state noted that Gazprom’s successes were made possible in large part not only by the company’s intelligent and flexible policies but also by those of the government.
According to President Vladimir Putin, cooperation between the company and the state is in full accord with modern trends in the global oil and gas industry and provides additional opportunities for the long-term development of the company, the industry and the country's economy.
At a meeting with veterans from Gazprom and their younger colleagues, President Vladimir Putin once again stressed that the state’s decision to maintain a controlling stake in the company has had a positive impact on it, resulting in an increase of its capitalisation.
The president also sent a congratulatory message to Gazprom staff.
The greeting read, in particular:
“The history of this company is the history of an enormous amount of intensive yet harmonious work done by a group of like-minded people, first-class professionals who in a relatively short period have created a huge gas and energy corporation. You have done everything possible to make Gazprom a leader in the world market and one of the guarantors of global energy stability.
The company’s strategy has been consistently organised around the uninterrupted, reliable and ultra-efficient supply of energy to consumers both in the Russian Federation and abroad. While satisfying a growing demand for natural gas and other hydrocarbons, Gazprom is constantly developing its resource base, increasing production and technological capabilities, and dealing objectively with questions of environmental management. It is very important that, while resolving large-scale production problems, you pay increased attention to important social programmes and projects which serve the interests of millions of people.”
Earlier in the day Vladimir Putin discussed with Russia’s Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin the problem of Ukrainian debts for Russian gas.