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SHCHYOLKOVO, September 1. /TASS/. The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament (Federation Council) Valentina Matviyenko believes the western sanctions’ effects on Russia are as healthy as those of a cold shower.
"The Western sanctions for us are like an invigorating cold shower that easily puts one in good shape," Matviyenko told the media.
Since the moment they took effect, she said, many positive results have been achieved, such as shifts in the development of farming.
"On the supermarket shelves we see ever more goods of domestic manufacture that are no worse (than their foreign counterparts)," Matviyenko said, adding that import substitution was booming in the manufacturing industries, thereby easing the country’s dependence on Western providers.
Matviyenko acknowledged that the situation was still grave in some respects, but at the same time voiced the certainty that Russia will manage to carry on. As for Europe, Matviyenko feels some doubts.
"They (sanctions are unpleasant), but they are unpleasant not only to us. The United States is across the ocean, while Europe is near. In Europe, far from everything is calm and bright as far as the economy is concerned," Matviyenko said. "Ever more people there have been saying ever louder the European leaders’ policies are wrong."
She recalled once again that the sanctions against Russia were illegal, because they had not received prior approval in the US Security Council.
"It’s a private initiative," she said. In her opinion, the decision in favour of sanctions was made by people "who are not professionals in foreign policy and who are ignorant of Russia’s history." Matviyenko believes that such methods will never succeed to make Russia revise its views and approaches. The stance on Crimea, she believes, is merely an excuse.
"The whole world is aware that Crimea has been Russian all the way and that it is Russian today. That’s a historical truth and historical justice," Matviyenko said.