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Non-Working April May Cost Russia 1.5-2% of 2020 GDP - Central Bank Chief

© AFP 2023 / ALEXANDER NEMENOVA Russian ruble coin is pictured in front of St. Basil cathedral in central Moscow
A Russian ruble coin is pictured in front of St. Basil cathedral in central Moscow - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The non-working days in Russia in April, which were introduced as part of the anti-coronavirus measures, will inevitably damage the country's economy and may cost it 1.5-2 percent of the gross domestic product this year, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said during an online press conference on Friday.
"In Russia, as the president announced yesterday, the non-working days, which started this Monday, last through April 30. Many regions imposed additional restrictions on economic activity. Unfortunately, these measures, which are absolutely necessary to combat the epidemic, will inevitably affect the economy negatively," Nabiullina said.

"The experience of other countries shows that a month of a country-wide quarantine can cost the economy 1.5-2 percent of the full-year GDP, but the cumulative effect will depend on how long restrictive measures will be in effect," she added.

Inflation in Russia accelerated, as expected, but the full-year inflation is still significantly lower than 4 percent, Nabiullina said.

“We will monitor the price growth, and the data for the last weeks of March confirms our opinion that the observed surge will be short-term and will not have a significant impact on inflation expectations," she said.

Additional measures to ensure Russia's financial stability are not required now, but the central bank is ready to introduce them if necessary, she said.

The Bank of Russia sees the potential to lower its key rate during the current year and will choose the right moment for this, Nabiullina said.

On March 20, the Bank of Russia decided to maintain the key rate at the level of 6 percent per annum.

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