The ultimate goal of the reform will be to ensure public access to government services, raising their quality and transparency, Mr. Zhukov explained. Judging from other countries' experience, such reforms take a long time, five to ten years, he said, adding that a ministerial overhaul alone will not produce the desired result.
Mr. Zhukov then went on to point out that the Russian government's economic policies should now be oriented toward shortening the divide between Russia and the world's most developed economies.
What the nation needs to achieve is not just rapid economic growth, but the kind of growth that would enable progressive structural changes in its economy and reduce its dependence on outside factors, the Vice Premier said.
As Alexander Zhukov sees it, Russia's current economic difficulties cannot be overcome solely with the help of purely economic instruments and institutions. Economic growth will be impossible to sustain unless there is a competent government, an efficient law-enforcement system, and a fair judiciary, he argues.
Sectors involved in the development of human resources, such as public health and education, have to be reformed in the first place, Mr. Zhukov pointed out. He also said that the Russian government should continue its balanced budgetary policies to reduce inflation, strengthen the national currency, and accumulate financial reserves to ensure steady economic growth.
The Cabinet of Ministers is keen to cooperate with United Russia, and hopes the party will lend it a helping hand, Alexander Zhukov said, stressing the importance of interaction between all the branches of the Russian government and major political parties. Hesaid it would be very helpful indeed if the Cabinet and United Russia, the nation's strongest party, shared with each other ideas and expertise and undertook concerted efforts.
