Yesterday, the government summed up the results of the outgoing year. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin drew one main conclusion - the crisis has been overcome owing to anti-crisis measures, but the ministers should not rest on their laurels. Putin set forth a minimum plan for the next year: support of domestic demand and business, accessibility of loans, diversification of the economy and exports, and reduction of the budget deficit.
The beginning of the year was difficult for everyone - the global crisis was still gaining momentum. But the bitter experience of 1998 enabled the government to secure a margin of safety and stop the destructive movement of the financial and economic tornado.
"It is premature to give a final assessment of the results produced by the anti-crisis programme, but it is already clear that on the whole it has been carried out despite all difficulties. The active phase of the crisis has been overcome and economic growth resumed in the latter half of the year," Putin said.
Indeed, statistics seem to be quite positive. The apocalyptic predictions made by analysts at the start of the year did not come true. In a tentative estimate, inflation will stand at 9% (Russia has not seen one-digit figures for inflation in a long time), the rouble's exchange rate is stable, and the GDP is expected to grow by 2.5%--3.5% next year.
However, it is abundantly clear to everyone that risks remain and the crisis may reassert itself. Hence, it is too early to give up anti-crisis policy.
"We should change the priorities of our work and concentrate on the formation of new industrial potential and an innovations-based economy," Putin said.
He specified a number of priorities, primarily the support of domestic demand in the automobile industry and housing construction. A pilot project on the utilization of old cars will be launched in the beginning of the next year. The government will continue to relocate people from dilapidated housing and provide apartments for army servicemen. Putin suggested preserving government guarantees for major enterprises because loans are still not easily accessible despite a more stable economy. He said that in 2010, small companies will receive loans worth about 100 billion roubles from VEB's (Vnesheconombank) partners and another 80 billion roubles through guarantee funds. Small companies specializing on production and innovations should be given top priority.
"It is important to secure macroeconomic stability for stable recovery. First of all, we should reduce the budget deficit to 3% by 2012. The main goal should be to create real incentives for more effective spending of budget funds and better services to the public," Putin emphasized.
Putin praised the government for its enormous efforts to support social stability. Next year it will continue to create jobs.
"Special employment programmes should be carried out in single-industry cities. We will start with the city of Togliatti, as we have announced," he stressed.
By Anastasia Savinykh
2nd federal issue
