ROME, July 4. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that the percentage of votes received by him at the elections does not affect achieving the country's development goals. The main obstacles are unfavorable economic realities and external pressure, he said in an interview with Corriere della Sera on the eve of his official visit to Italy.
"It’s not the percentage of votes at the elections, but in the economic realities that Russia has to face," he said, answering the question why, despite the trust shown by the voters, development plans find it difficult to pick up the pace. "Prices or fluctuations on international markets for traditional goods of our exports: oil, gas, metal. Of course, there is the influence of external restraints," he added.
Putin noted that the Russian authorities are trying to pursue "a very balanced, realistic policy, to ensure macroeconomic stability, to prevent growth of unemployment." He emphasized that it was possible to concentrate significant resources in order to begin implementing large-scale national projects that should ensure the breakthrough development of key sectors of the economy and the social sphere, improving the quality of life of people.
