Russian Premier: Results of 2003 to determine forecasts

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov hopes that the results of 2003 will be better than it was forecast. He said opening the session of the cabinet of ministers on Thursday that over the first nine months of the year the GDP growth made up 6.5 percent. Over the same period, the budget was executed with a surplus of 1.3 percent of GDP.

"The state finances are in a good state," the head of government pointed out. The results of the first nine months, he said, correspond to the forecast indices.

Mikhail Kasyanov believes that the formed reserve of strength and the budget surplus will go to the stabilization fund. "And this is a good basis for the execution of the budget-2004," he emphasized.