Translated material
Technological rush
The innovative path of economic development was recognized as true by the board of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
The final meeting of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade became a day of manifestation of all the best feelings. The members of the cabinet of ministers literally declared their love to each other. Apparently, the favorable macroeconomic situation in the country is not conducive to mutual criticism.According to Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, “The Ministry of Economic Development is the key government headquarters body in formulating the country’s development goals.” The ministry faces not just tasks, it has a mission, which is to “create a new economic image of the country.” However, Mr. Fradkov especially emphasized, “the role of a leader has always been inherent in your ministry in all its guises.” Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, forgetting about frequent public disagreements, said that “one department is a continuation of another.” However, perhaps he just wanted to draw attention to the fact that his ministry is directly related to high rates of economic growth and low inflation.
However, in terms of courtesy, the host of the event, German Gref, left his guests far behind. “Over time, you begin to value constructive, friendly remarks more than praise,” Mr. Gref commented on the prime minister’s “soft,” as he himself called them, remarks. By the way, the remarks were so mild that, except for the minister himself, no one noticed them at all. The only person who decided to break the general idyll was the head of the Supreme Arbitration Court, Anton Ivanov. “It would be right if the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade would study judicial practice in advance, even before drafting laws,” he said. But Mr. Gref had a kind word for him too. “Reading the decisions of the Supreme Arbitration Court, I see our obvious mistakes,” he said. And he thanked him for his help, although Mr. Ivanov did not offer him any help.
However, the MEDT did not have to rest on its laurels. Mikhail Fradkov set new tasks. Firstly, the ministry, according to the prime minister, needs to “double economic forecasting.” This year a three-year budget will be adopted for the first time, and the Prime Minister has already set a new bar. “In the medium term, we will have to reach a 10- to 15-year budget,” he recalled. In this regard, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will have to learn how to make forecasts for 20-30 years ahead. True, it is not clear to whom. Over such a period of time, more than one government will change in Russia.
The prime minister also ordered to engage in pension reform, speed up the adoption of the law on the development of small businesses and increase the efficiency of state property management. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov personally asked to speed up work on a consolidated report on the activities of all ministries and departments. However, German Gref himself sets no less global goals for himself and his department: carrying out structural changes in the labor market, developing competition and bringing depressed regions to a new level of development. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade proposes to create new regional economic centers. First of all, federal target programs are aimed at this in the Far East and the Southern Federal District. Government investments in the South of Russia over the next three years will amount to 29 billion rubles. And this does not count the 45 billion rubles that Chechnya will receive, and the almost 300 billion that will go to Sochi if the 2014 Winter Olympics are held there.
The next three years will be key for the development of the Russian economy, believes German Gref. This is exactly how much time Russia has to diversify its economy without compromising growth rates. The rate of increase in the physical volume of raw material exports will fall from the current 7% per year to 2.2%. And the working-age population will decrease by 15% by 2020. The only way out, according to the minister, is an innovative path. “We need development and diversification. I would even say development through diversification,” he said.
The ministry will work in five main areas: overcoming infrastructure limitations, stimulating business investment activity, developing the social sphere, promoting the effective integration of the Russian economy into the global economy and, finally, increasing the efficiency of government authorities. As a result, the country will finally have its own competitive auto industry and high-tech sector, and production clusters will be created. Russia will finally join the WTO and become a full-fledged competitor of economically developed countries.
True, German Gref himself will most likely observe these processes from the sidelines. He has repeatedly said that he does not see himself in power after 2008.