MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. Russia cannot be called "non-market economy," the state interferes in it no more than in Western countries, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in an interview with Naila Asker-zade aired on the Rossiya-24 TV channel.
The US Department of Commerce decided earlier to revoke market economy status from Russia for antidumping procedures. This is related to the antidumping probe on the Russian butadiene-styrene rubber.
"The decision is purely politicized, it’s clear that we don’t have any non-market economy. The degree of state intervention in the economy, if I may say so, is no more than in Western countries. Just like Western countries - if we take the pandemic coronavirus - we provide support to sectors of the economy - other countries did the same. Under the current conditions, we support certain sectors of the economy and do it on an absolutely market basis, taking into account the best practices that exist in the world," the minister said.
Siluanov recommended that countries, which are now making decisions on restrictions against Russia, draw conclusions about the market and non-market nature of these steps.
"If we talk about market and non-market economies, then those countries need to look at the decisions they make. Because restrictions regarding Russia, settlements, freezing the reserves and assets of our companies, freezing trade relations are these market ways of work, in particular within the WTO, we are all members of? Of course, they are not," Siluanov said.
"If you look at the decisions that are currently being discussed on limiting commodity prices in world markets, this is probably the "apotheosis" of market rules and principles of relationships," the Finance Minister added. Ultimately, he said, "you can't fool the economy, you can't fool economic laws." As Siluanov noted, if restrictions are introduced somewhere, then prices for these goods will react accordingly.