DUMA ECONOMICS CHIEF CRITICIZES GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS.

Speaking in Yekaterinburg June 9, the chairman of the Duma’s economics committee said that recent Russian government statements about the economy were far too optimistic, Segodnya reported June 10. Mikhail Zadornov said that the costs of the Chechen war and upper pressure on prices would guarantee far higher inflation figures than the one percent a month some Russian leaders have suggested. He said that the only branches of the economy where there has been a turnaround are those connected with the export of raw materials. And he sharply attacked the government’s current method of funding some parts of the economy–such as agriculture and international affairs–above budgeted levels, while giving others–such as the defense sector–far less than planned.

Duma to Repeat Hearing on Production Sharing Law.