28 May 2004 05:44
Inflation may slow to 3% over 3-4 years - Illarionov
ST. PETERSBURG. May 28 (Interfax) - Russia's annual inflation rate may slow to 3% over the next 3-4 years, said
presidential adviser Andrei Illarionov.
"This goal can be achieved within the next few years. I think that 3-4 years are a quite viable timeframe,"
Illarionov told Interfax.
This objective, however, cannot be reached unless the government adopts the appropriate policy, he said.
"Inflation is a certain kind of tax that is taken from every citizen's pockets without any official
decisions. This is the 401st way to take money from the population, which has been borrowed from the unforgettable Ostap
Ibragimovich [Bender, a character in the popular Russian satirical novel 12 Chairs]. However, the issue of this
tax's use remains open," he said.
The Economic Development and Trade Ministry has forecast the country's inflation at 10% in 2004, 8.5% in 2005,
7.5% in 2006, and 6% in 2007. [RU EUROPE EEU EMRG ECI] tm tl <>
[Interfax] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
