Changing the negative perception of business among Russians remains a priority task, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

“Our difficulties stem, firstly, from the socialist state of mind and, secondly, from the 1990s, when it all, regretfully, worsened and was discredited, to a significant extent, because of unfair privatization,” the Russian premier said.

He decried that fact those close to the authorities were able to make enormous fortunes, but it takes decades and generations for a true market economy to evolve.

“Many of our citizens are convinced that today’s unfairness is because of this unfair division of state property. Yesterday everyone was equal and today someone who sneaked into power has pocketed billions. And now everybody else has to toil for this newly emerged billionaire,” Putin said.

“This situation must somehow be changed. The vast majority of citizens must understand with their heart, soul and mind that a country’s locomotive is private initiative, and of course fair allocation of state resources and state finances,” the prime minister said. “I think this is our common task.”