Speaking at the Russia Forum 2012 ex-finance minister Alexei Kudrin criticized Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s economic program opposing the fast-moving growth of the state spending. Moreover, Kudrin pointed out that the judicial reform failed under presidency of Dmitry Medvedev. Experts highlighted that by saying this the former minister confirmed that he is becoming a politician.
The former finance minister Alexei Kudrin used the Russia Forum 2012 that commenced in Moscow on Thursday as a platform for expressing his disagreement with Vladimir Putin’s economic program, Novye Izvestiya reported. Kudrin focused on slamming the policy of market innovation through large-scale state support of whole industries and a fast-moving growth of state expenditures.
The ex-minister reiterated that “we approved the Putin plan in 2008. The pension system and the spending on defence – all this fell beyond these plans. For two years we disengaged fully from this program.” “The arms race” and growing state expenditures, if the global oil prices tumble, will lead to the economy's collapse. Kudrin described the governmental privatization plan as low-efficient as “aside from the direct participation in companies and banks the government would have an opportunity to exert pressure on businesses through regulating functions and administrative structures.”
The presidential election should become “a mechanism of opposing the authorities” and for this “liberalization of the political system” and a real judicial reform that failed under Dmitry Medvedev’s rule are necessary, Kommersant business daily quoted Kudrin. Thus, experts say he confirmed that he is becoming a politician and “is ready for LP career in politics.”
Alexei Kudrin considers it “important to support steps taken by the president and prime minister for promoting liberalization of the political system.” As for other issues he expressed his claims, especially those in relation to the judicial system. “When Medvedev came to power, I expected that we will manage to ensure law and order in judicial system, create the judiciary and a judicial system that would serve as an unbiased arbitral mechanism in resolving disputes. But, unfortunately, we failed to turn the tide during these four years,” he said expressing an opinion that a new trial on Khodorkovsky’s second case could set a real precedent for a real reform.
“Kudrin decided to stay in politics,” the director of the International Institute of Political Expertise, Yevgeny Minchenko, told Kommersant. “But he decided to have an LP political career.” He already announced that he was ready to join the creation of a new liberal party, but at the same time underlined that the opposition would be able to build up its real ranks in two-three years.