MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Russia should maintain its economic growth rate, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"We indeed need to maintain the rate achieved in the economy. We have 1.6 [percent] of GDP growth and 2.5% growth in agriculture. Our budget deficit is just 1.5% (it was twice higher in 2016) and our inflation is 2.5%, the all-time low figure in the history of the country," Putin said. "All that evidences very good and fundamental basis," the President said. "Direct investments’ growth is 4.2%. It means relatively to 1.6% growth of GDP that investments outpace GDP growth. It means the groundwork for further growth has already been done and investments have already been made," Putin noted.
"This inspires optimism by and large," the head of state said. Unemployment decline is also among positive factors, Putin said. "Our mood should be good but it should not be relaxing for us. We must understand we still have a lot to do and such growth rates are certainly not comfortable for us," he added.