Finance Ministry to introduce plan of Russia's development

In November 2002, the Russian Finance Ministry is to introduce a three-yearplan of the development of the country, to the government, Finance MinisterAlexey Kudrin reported to journalists today. According to him, within thisplan, the government is intending to solve a lot of problems, which werenot covered by the 2003 budget. As for the outlooks for the budget draft inthe State Duma, Kudrin pointed out that "it will not be adopted easily: thebudget draft is not simple, it is tense".Kudrin said that the document suggested expenditures for repaying theforeign debt and mechanisms for solving a number of top-priority tasks,including those connected with the increase in financing the defenseindustry, education, healthcare and culture. The Finance Minister reportedthat while preparing the budget draft, the government had held activeconsultations "with all Duma factions", first of all, with the centristsand the rightists. "We are not expecting dolce vita; but we believe thatthe 'zero reading' will enable us to reach agreement while discussing the2003 budget", Kudrin pointed out..