MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin is ready to make an input in settlement of economic problems, and a form for this cooperation with the government is in place, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with the Vesti on Saturday weekly television program.
"If he [Kudrin] wants to be involved in solving problems the country is facing - why not? He is ready now. And the form, we have found jointly, his participation in joint work, - suits him fine. Us, too, I believe," Putin said meaning more active involvement of the former finance minister in the presidential expert council on the economy and in the Center for Strategic Research.
Putin said though Kudrin had left the government, the president had "never lost contact with Kudrin."
"We have always been on friendly terms," Putin said. "He is a very good specialists, a wonderful expert."
At the same time, Putin said, the government has been working well on the economic problems. "I do not consider it incapable. On the contrary, it bears quite respectfully the burden of responsibility, working professionally."
Earlier, Putin said Kudrin could become deputy head of the presidential economic council and could participate in work on strategic development for following years and for later periods. The president said after having left the office, Kudrin refused from work at administrative bodies, but now his position has changed.
Several days earlier, Kudrin said he had received an offer to take a high position at the Center for Strategic Research and considers it now.
The Center for Strategic Research Foundation is a non-profit organization, a think tank engaged in the development of documents and materials related to the development strategy of Russia, its regions and key sectors of the economy.
The Foundation was registered November 18, 1999 and was originally one of the main analytical structures involved in the development program of Vladimir Putin before the presidential elections in 2000.
The founders of the Fund were Higher School of Economics, Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Russian Government, the Center for Economic Reforms under the Russian Government, the Institute of Economic Analysis.
CSR is as a source of manpower. Dmitry Mezentsev, who is now a member of the Federation Council (upper chamber of the Russian parliament) was the first president of CSR. Foundation Board headed by German Gref, who is now President and Chairman of the Board of Russia’s largest savings bank Sberbank, was head of the fund’s Council. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak headed CSR’s board of trustees. Russia’s Central Bank’s Chief Elvira Nabiullina headed CSR in 2003-2005. Mikhail Dmitriev was the head of CSR in 2005-2014. In 2014 Vladimir Knyaginin was appointed as CSR’s President.