Russia's prime minister has called for modernization programs and more responsible attitudes among the business community, to reduce the economy's dependence on raw materials.
Addressing the United Russia party congress in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Vladimir Putin said: "It's time for businesses to start working differently. Unfortunately, many are used to working by simple, crude rules - squeeze out every last drop from ageing equipment and get into debt with the hope that the state will provide a shoulder at the last minute and drag them out of their hole."
"A modern economy can not be built on this psychology of short-term opportunists", he said.
“In order to move forward, we need to clear the economy of hopeless, outdated and money-wasting industries, and to nurture and support the genuinely competitive core of the real economy.... If we want to live on the profits of a modern economy, and not survive on rent from raw materials, we have no other option. We must recognize that vital factors for development in the coming period will be our domestic resources, optimizing industrial equipment, improving labor productivity, and forming efficient employment structures."
He noted that hundreds of Russian companies have shown over the past year that they are capable of developing amid the most adverse conditions.
However, he said that state support measures will have to be stepped up to save the national car industry, which has seen output fall by more than 60% this year.
The premier urged large companies with government-held stakes to launch programs to eliminate corruption.
"Infrastructural monopolies and large companies with a state interest are obliged to adopt internal programs aimed at achieving global standards of efficiency and transparency, and eliminating corruption risks," he said.
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