"When we receive answers and analyze everything, then we will be able to say when we can reach the trajectory of doubling the GDP and what must be done for this," said the minister.
GDP growth will be within the 6-6.5% range in the years to come, believes the minister.
"We are unlikely to reach rates over 7%," Mr. Gref said.
The minister explained the impossibility of GDP growing faster by the fact that the country has exhausted its export capabilities. "In the three years to come, the rates of raw materials production and export will average 3-4%," said Mr. Gref. This year, export growth will total 10%. The minister said that development of new deposits of oil and construction of pipelines will take several years. Until that time, export dynamics will be reducing, he said.
The reserve of GDP growth in the years to come remains an increase in the exports of the share of finished products, including hi-tech and science-intensive manufactures. Now the production of processing branches totals slightly over 4% in the export structure, while in developed countries it reaches 30% of exports, said the minister.
He said that the Russian government plans to raise export duties on oil products from September 9, and to consider in late September the long-term policy in the field of a method to fix duties on oil products. Now the export duty on oil products is $45.5 per ton.
Mr. Gref said that the government will make attempts to reduce the growth of prices for oil products in Russia, including gasoline, by means of complex measures.
"As for the dynamics of prices for oil products, it evidently exceeds the indices we wanted to see. Due to this, we had no deflation in August, and this situation cannot suit us," said Mr. Gref.
"We will make attempts to regulate the situation, but we are not sure we can do it effectively," said the minister.
Prices for fuel in Russia have recently increased considerably too. The price of one liter of A-95 gasoline grew for 2.5 months from 11 rubles to 15 rubles. Fuel market experts forecast the price late this year at 17-18 rubles a liter.
Economic Development Minister German Gref believes that additional raise of tariffs on electric energy in 2005 may be prevented.
In this way the minister commented to journalists on the statement of RAO UES of Russia representative Sergei Dubinin on the necessity to raise tariffs next year by 10% instead of 9.5%, as was planned earlier, due to increased prices for gas.
"I think RAO UES, with the given dynamics, will be able to go through 2005. We will once again consider this situation with RAO," Mr. Gref said.
Mr. Dubinin said at a government session on Thursday that raising gas prices will bring power engineers additional expenditures to the tune of 3 billion rubles.
Replying to journalists' question on how he assessed Premier Mikhail Fradkov suggestion that ministers could change over, Mr. Gref said that the quality of policy should be changed, and the change of ministers' places does not matter that much.
Mr. Fradkov said at a government session today that ministers should change places from time to time.
"We lack a complex approach in making decisions," said the premier.
