Federation Council chairwoman sees no reasons for panic in economy

MOSCOW, Dec 21 (PRIME) -- There is no reason for panic about in the Russian economy, Chairwoman of the Federation Council, Russian parliament’s upper chamber, Valentina Matviyenko told reporters on Wednesday.

“There should be no panic mood (in the economy), we have no reason for it. We have been pulling ourselves together all this time, we have understood where we are,” she said.

“Yes, there are some problems, we should not embellish them… or relax, but we have collected our thoughts, we have mobilized ourselves, and we can see the immediate prospects, we build strategic plans for the future.”

Matviyenko also said that the 2022 economic results have proved to be better than experts projected earlier this year.

“The (economic) results are satisfactory, they are much better than even our experts have projected,” she said.

Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) is to fall by 2.5–2.7%, according to preliminary assessment, Matvienko also said.

“It is not what we want, but it is much better than the collective West has projected, than the International Monetary Fund and other international financial structures have predicted,” she said.

The chairwoman added that Russia’s economy has a significant safety margin and growth potential.

Matvienko is sure that the West has made a serious mistake by withdrawing from direct purchases of Russian hydrocarbons and that it will continue to buy oil and gas from Russia indirectly through third agents.

“Those who have declined (to buy Russian energy) will do so anyway, by any possible means, through intermediaries, and at high prices purchase our oil and gas, because the amount of oil and gas on the market is limited. No matter how to split it, as a cake, it cannot be larger than the cake,” she said.

End