PM: Russia’s anti-crisis plan needs fine-tuning

GORKI, Moscow Region, Jul 13 (PRIME) -- Some items of the Russian government’s anti-crisis plan need fine-tuning, including state guarantees and purchases of machines, but the worst scenarios for the Russian economy did not come true and the situation is difficult, but is under control, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting on Monday.

“The worst scenarios did not come true. The situation in the economy may still be difficult, but controllable, also due to the joint work of the government, the central bank, the bodies of legislative power. Regions, which approved their anti-crisis plans, actively take part in this work,” he said.

One of problems with regions include expensive commercial loans, Medvedev said.

The federal budget foresees a 310 billion ruble financing to substitute commercial loans, restructure debts of Russian regions and help them balance their budgets, the prime minister said.

Medvedev ordered Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to meet with the most troubled regions and to “get prepared for more aid”.

(56.6685 rubles – U.S. $1)

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