Interfax: Kudrin agrees with Putin that internal reasons to blame for slowdown

MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) – Former Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin agrees with President Vladimir Putin that the reasons for the economic slowdown in Russia are internal, rather than external in nature.

“The president absolutely correctly noted that the reasons for our economic stagnation are internal,” Kudrin wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

He also agreed with the view Putin stated in his address to the Federal Assembly that it is necessary to strengthen civil society institutions.

“The president proposed strengthening institutions of civil society. I support this. It’s come off badly so far,” Kudrin said.

Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly that the main reasons for Russia’s economic slowdown are internal, not external. “Yes, of course we are feeling the consequences of the global crisis. But we have to be frank and say the main reasons for the slowdown [in economic growth in Russia] are not external but internal,” the president said.