[lbo-talk] Forecast: Russia's GDP to grow 15%-18% in 2003-2005

[Peter Lavelle]

Local telephone calls free. Up to 30% of Moscovites use public transportation for free, poor health care basically free, cheap food still available etc....I paid 50 rubles ($1.50) for utilities last month. Many people own their apartments (or communal apartments) in Moscow, but pay a "estate fee" - a meaningly cost. 
A hybrid economy.  Russia's "middle class" is out there somewhere, but what helps it to be defined as such is off the backs of (almost)  free state services.  Russia's "middle class" is almost exclusively in the service sector as well. 

Chris Doss <itschris13 at hotmail.com> wrote:


>From: Doug Henwood 


>
>...and many things now require cash that used to come for free or 
>near-free, no? How much growth is the result of paying for things that used 
>to be state perks? Are rents and utilities still nominally priced, or are 
>they heading towards market levels?
>
>Doug

Utilities are still practically free. People who do not own their own 
apartments pay a price determined by the market.

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