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President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday warned ministers who give gloomy economic forecasts that they should look for new jobs, a move widely seen as a rebuke to Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.
The remarks come as Russia goes through the painful process of drafting the budget for 2010 -- in which Kudrin is playing a key role -- after being forced to drastically cut spending in 2009 because of a fall in the price of oil.
"When my colleagues from the government say that Russia will not come out of the crisis for another 50 years, it is unacceptable. If you think so -- go and work somewhere else," Medvedev told a meeting with Russian businessmen.
Kudrin in April said Russia should not wait for "five, 10, 20 or 50 years" for the favorable economic conditions of recent years to return. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the comment showed that Kudrin was stressed out.
Medvedev Scolds Kudrin on Forecast
27 May 2009
Reuters
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