"Energy-Efficient Economy" Programme to Become Priority for Russia's Ministry of Energy

The 'Energy-efficient Economy' federal purposive programme will become a priority area of work for the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation for the years from 2002 through 2005. According to the ministry's press service, Igor Yusufov, the Minister of Energy, has signed a directive outlining the way the programme will be carried out. This program, which in perspective may be carried on as far as the year 2010, was approved by the government of Russia on November 17 last year. It provides for the increase of the annual primary output of oil refineries to 210 million tonnes by the year 2010. The production of automotive gasoline is also supposed to be increased.