Moscow , Russia ( CNN ) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent a strong signal Thursday that he has full hands-on control of his country . As part of his annual town hall forum , Putin spoke for four hours and fielded 80 questions out of 2 million-plus submitted on a live call-in program , `` Conversation With Vladimir Putin -- Continued . '' Responding to a question on whether he had any plans to retire and enjoy the life of an ordinary citizen , Putin tersely replied , `` Do n't count on that . '' And when asked whether he plans to run for the presidency again in 2012 , he said , `` I will think about it . There is plenty of time for that . '' Speaking of his `` tandem '' with President Dmitry Medvedev , Putin said he had `` known him for many years , graduated from the same universities , having been taught by the same professors . '' `` Those common principles allow us to effectively work together , '' he said , responding to the never-ending speculation about which one of the duo is more important and whether a rift between them is possible . Putin juggled a myriad of facts and statistics , giving instructions to subordinates along the way to fix problems , as he responded to questions mostly on Russia 's domestic issues . These covered pensions , medication prices , the overhauling of entire industries and Russia 's accession to the World Trade Organization , Amur tigers and hip-hop music , and everything in between . The program was broadcast live on government television and radio . It marked Putin 's eighth annual year-end `` town meeting , '' first launched in 2001 when he was president . This year 's forum was his second as prime minister . Representatives from all Russian industries as well as university students packed the auditorium in Gostiny Dvor , a large conference hall next door to the Kremlin , where Putin appeared . Putin took questions from the hall 's floor , with live cameras positioned in towns and cities across Russia , and he also responded to phone calls , e-mails and mobile SMS messages . He started off by addressing the issue of terrorism , coming nearly a week after the derailment of a luxury Moscow-St.Petersburg express train , which left 26 people dead and more than 100 injured . Russia 's Federal Security Service said an improvised explosive device , which unknown bombers placed beneath the railroad bed , caused Friday 's derailment . It was the biggest terror act outside Russia 's troubled North Caucasus region since 2004 . `` We did a lot [ in recent years ] to break the backbone of terrorism , but the threat has not been eliminated yet , '' Putin said . `` The entire society , each of us , should be conscious of this threat and be vigilant . '' Addressing the economy , Putin said the peak of the global economic crisis has passed , `` although turbulent trends in the global and , as a result , the Russian economy , are still in place . '' `` It will take time and effort to overcome the crisis , '' he said . The past year has been `` one of the most difficult '' for Russia in this decade , Putin added , saying the 2009 gross domestic product will shrink by 8.5 percent to 8.7 percent . The slump in the country 's industry will be even bigger , he said , around 13 percent , but the projected inflation for 2009 will be lower than in the past year , about 9 percent . The prime minister also cited what he called `` positive developments '' in the Russian economy . He said some industries , such as military hardware production and agriculture , are even growing . In the arena of international politics , Putin told a questioner that he and former President George W. Bush had a good relationship but have not been in touch . The prime minister described Bush as a `` very honest and nice person , '' saying that if the ex-U.S. leader wanted to continue their relationship , he would be glad to do so . Putin 's press secretary , Dmitry Peskov , said the wide range of issues on which Russians posed questions `` provides an excellent instrument for sociological study , and all questions that are being raised , are carefully studied . That [ call-in show ] gives a very reliable sociological survey . '' Putin 's popularity ratings at home demonstrates his political dominance in Russia . Confidence in the prime minister stood at 70 percent , as opposed to 59 percent for Medvedev , according to a recently published opinion poll conducted by Russia 's Public Opinion Foundation . While Putin had his town hall forum , Medvedev was holding meetings in Italy with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Pope Benedict XVI .
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin dismisses notion of compromise at town hall forum . Putin : ` ` Common principles '' With him , President Dmitry Medvedev work well together . Putin calls George W Bush a ` ` very honest and nice person '' and says it will take time to overcome global financial crisis .