First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov reported on a meeting of the Transport Ministry Collegium.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin informed the meeting about measures the Government has drawn up to strengthen Russia’s banking sector in view of the crisis on the world financial markets. At an earlier meeting on economic issues that examined the banking system’s development, Mr Putin instructed the Government to draft a list of measures aimed at maintaining banking sector liquidity and ensuring that lending to the Russian economy can continue on the required scale.
Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak reported on the activities of the Housing and Utilities Sector Reform Fund. The Fund was established in 2007 with the Russian regions also contributing to finance capital repairs of apartment buildings and resettle people from housing due to be demolished or no longer fit for habitation.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed the meeting about a request from the Serbian government for humanitarian aid for Serbian enclaves in Kosovo.