Vladimir Sokolin, former head of the Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat), recently announced his resignation and expressed his doubts about whether the economy is starting to experience growth right now, an opinion which those in the Economic Ministry have been espousing lately.
According to Sokolin, there is really only one steady economic trend occurring right now: that the economic decline has tapered off. However, there is not yet any discernable growth.
“Whether or not the economy is growing right now is really only a matter of interpretation. It all depends on what you want to see: if you want to see something positive where there is really only negative, then you will see it,” he said, expressing his skepticism.
Sokolin added that in 3-4 months it will be clear whether or not there is really any economic growth occurring. Right now, he only sees a flat line in the economy’s movement.
An increase of 0.2% or 0.3% is not economic growth, Sokolin emphasized, and it is impossible to draw conclusions from only two or three statistical figures.
News
