GORKI, May 10. /TASS/. New tasks that the Russian government is facing are more difficult than ever before and there is little time to fulfill them, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting dedicated to the implementation of the Russian president’s new May Decree.

The prime minister pointed out that in the previous period, the cabinet had sought to overcome internal structural economic hardship and external shocks. "Our country suffered minimum damage in that most difficult period, which is a result of our joint activities," Medvedev said. "However, our current tasks are more difficult, as according to the new decree, the country’s economy should enter the global top five despite all the deterrents," he went on to say, adding that "there is the need to move forward decisively and actively search for new opportunities, new growth points and new partners. There is little time and the timeframe is rather tight."

The prime minister added that the decree Vladimir Putin had signed on May 7 defined basic development goals and the government’s future tasks. Medvedev said that the documents referred to aims crucial for the country’s development, including stable economic development, low inflation, a moderately low unemployment rate, the growing role of the non-commodity sector and the use of as many innovation technologies as possible. "The decree particularly emphasizes the need to further improve the living standards of Russian citizens, increase the average life expectancy, including the active life expectancy, which means that there should be an effective healthcare system, comfortable and healthy environment and stable incomes," the Russian prime minister stressed.

At the same time, Medvedev said that it was still unclear what the global situation would be like and "what new challenges and restrictions we are likely to face, but we should take these risks into consideration in any case."