Putin says effective mechanism needed to promote digital economy

NOVO-OGARYOVO, Moscow Region, Jul 5 (PRIME) – Russia must create an effective mechanism to promote the digital economy, abolish legal barriers, and launch tools to back up local companies-centers of competences in the digital technologies industry, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

“On the basis of the accumulated technological potential, we’ll have to implement a difficult comprehensive project. It has no precedents by scale, importance, impact on life of the country and every person,” he told a council on strategic development and priority projects.

“It’s truly compared to the ground-breaking changes that have enabled Russia at various historical stages to make a serious step forward and strengthen its position in the world.”

He likened creation of the digital economy to construction of railroads in the late 19th century and electrification of the country in the first half of the 20th century.

“Our primary task is to shape an effective mechanism to promote this significant and important project,” Putin said.

Among the main directions of the digital economy are liquidation of legal barriers, which obstruct the use of advanced technologies, and creation of mainstay infrastructure, connection lines, and data storage and processing centers, among others.

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