MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's current economic growth will not allow its GDP to double over the next 10 years, Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref repeated at a news conference Thursday.
Gref was displeased by a reporter's question on the doubling of the GDP because Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov had already asked him this question several times, and he repeatedly answered that it was impossible to double the GDP by 2008 or by 2010.
"Have you seen the figures? Can you count? The target figures are 5.9% [GDP growth] for this year and 5.9% next year," the minister said.
Experts have said Russia's economy must grow 7% annually to double the GDP in 10 years. They forecast a GDP growth of 5.9% this year with the current level of economic growth remaining over the next three years.
