MOSCOW. April 15 (Interfax) - Russia needs economic growth so as not to be weak, poor and backward, Russian presidential economic advisor Andrei Illarionov said on a Sunday night current events show.
The stance of President Vladimir Putin has not changed from what it was in previous months and years. "What came as a surprise was the scenario of Russian economic development conditions that estimated economic growth at half of what the president had said, what all documents of the government had said. That is what was surprising," Illarionov said commenting on the presidential criticism of the government's economic plans earlier during the
week.
An annual growth rate of 8% during a period of 15-20 years requires an absolutely different economic policy system and economic structure, the aide
said. "Here one cannot help agreeing with those who do not believe that the Russian economy can generate a steady annual growth rate of 8%," he said adding that two different conclusions can be drawn from the fact. Firstly, "one can agree that we are doomed to 3% [of annual growth] and be happy with
that," however a different conclusion is also possible: "if these conditions
are insufficient for an 8% growth, let's change these conditions," he said.