UPDATE: Putin calls for improving business climate, non-energy exports

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MOSCOW, May 30 (PRIME) -- Russia should focus on improving its business climate and boosting non-energy exports, economic development plans should be clear and realistic, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on Tuesday.

“Plans of the country’s economic development should be clear and realistic, meet existing and prospective challenges in the best possible way, reflect interests of people and unity of views of the government, business circles and civil society institutions,” Putin said.

“It is important to focus on improving the business climate and increasing competitiveness of the Russian economy, raising labor capacity and effectiveness of large investment projects, developing small- and medium-sized businesses, boosting volumes of non-energy exports, forming new points of growth in regions,” he said.

He said a plan of government actions for 2017–2025 that is currently being prepared is a key document for Russia’s long-term development strategy. The government is tasked to ensure the Russian economy reaching the global growth pace no later than in 2019–2020.

Business ombudsman Boris Titov said after the meeting chaired by Putin that a work on a strategy for Russia’s development will continue and proposals of expert groups will be analyzed.

Alexei Kudrin, chairman of the board at the Center for Strategic Research and former finance minister, said that Putin plans to hold several meetings devoted to certain directions of Russia’s development strategy in June–July.

“We have prepared a draft strategy under his order, he should study it himself. I officially submitted it to him today… He promised to study it attentively and will continue working with us, discuss certain issues,” Kudrin said.

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