Prime Minister: Russia to have budget surplus for second year in a row Sun Jun 16, 1:27 PM ET
MOSCOW - Russia will have a budget surplus for the second year in a row in 2003, the country's prime minister said in an interview broadcast Sunday.
Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov told RTR television that the government expected economic growth of about 4 percent. He said growth would be higher in 2004 and 2005.
Russia has enjoyed steady growth in recent years, but many analysts warn the country's economy is too dependent on exports of oil and natural gas.
RTR reported that the budget surplus next year would amount to 99 billion rubles (dlrs 3.2 billion). The government has predicted inflation of 11 percent, the station said.
This year, Russia is enjoying its first post-Soviet surplus national budget.