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Published: April 20th, 2018

On April 4, 2018, the VI Moscow Economic Forum was concluded. For two days, the most progressive Russian and Western scientists, politicians, businessmen, journalists, representatives of relevant ministries and departments discussed proposals for developing Russia's economy, improving the quality of life for Russians. More than 250 journalists worked at the MEF-2018, including representatives of European, Asian and Middle Eastern media. Ten student groups from leading economic universities of the country took part in the intellectual quest and answered questions about the methods of developing the economy, industry and the agro-industrial complex of Russia.

The central theme of the MEF-2018 is "Russia and the world: the future image". The forum participants spoke about key foreign policy developments, as well as the measures that the scientific and professional community offers to disclose Russia's economic potential. The program of the forum included 4 plenary discussions, 18 conferences and 4 sections in the format of debates. Participants discussed issues related to industrial, social and banking policy, financial resources, development of rural areas and regions, cooperation with China and international trade in the WTO, as well as information and cultural problems, technological challenges of our time.

At the final plenary session, the winners of the Youth Student Works Competition were announced and some of the moderators of the MEF-2018 summed up the results of the conferences.

Co-chairman, scientific director of the RAS Institute of Economics, RAS Corresponding Member Ruslan Grinberg said at the last session of the MEF that in his opinion, at the current stage Russia needs to change the economic policy "which simply does not exist." At the same time, he added that, in his personal opinion, the participants in the discussions did not make much progress in the development of civil society. "It seems to everyone that we should write something so beautiful that the president looks up, bursts into tears and says:" Let's do as they wrote. "But in life this does not happen, in life there is political competition. ", - Greenberg said.

He noted that if we want to change the agenda, we should engage in politics - on the principle "if you do not engage in politics, politics will take care of you." Russia should now concentrate, first of all, on its own internal agenda - the development of the economy, and not an empty demonstration of military power, the scientist believes. About the prospects of protectionism, in his closing speech, said member of the Federal Council "Partiya Dela", the founder of the corporation Ralf Ringer Andrei Berezhnoy. Summarizing the previous forum, he noted that all experts, one way or another, are divided into 2 camps: theorists and practitioners. Theorists, scientists often do not want to abandon the paradigm in which they are confident, and do not believe that practices can change anything.

So, theorists say that the goal of the economy is to attract investments. As a practitioner, Mr. Berezhnoy does not share this opinion.

"I do not believe in expecting that a third country citizen will come to our country and give his money -" the expert said.

He also drew attention to the fact that in Russia, after the imposition of the embargo, that is the prohibition of many imported goods, investments have seriously increased. The expert suggested to all participants to think, due to what in such conditions the profit will be received, which, as is known, is the goal of any economic activity. Another question, on which it is worth pondering, according to the expert, sounds like this: how much it is necessary to protect the territory and how to create equal conditions for competition.

Chairman of the Supervisory Board at the Institute of Demography, Migration and Regional Development - Yuri Krupnov summed up the debate "The New Cold War: Prevent or Prepare?" According to Krupnov, the participants in the debate divided into two camps. Supporters of the first believe that Russia itself is to blame for the current tension with the West, in all diplomatic scandals and so on. Another "camp", he said, united supporters of the directly opposite view that the West had declared Russia a cold war, "which is in full swing and our country must take retaliatory measures." Personally for me the first point of view is absolutely not acceptable, so as it reproduces the phobias of Western politicians who have no basis. I believe that Russia is moving in the right direction, "the speaker said.

At the same time, he drew attention to the general moments in which all the participants in the debate agreed. This is the thesis that the cold war can lead to the most unexpected consequences, as well as the fact that Russia has not yet decided on its "special" way. According to Krupnov, the country should make a decision - either to accept the existing global system, or find its own way. In this sense, the potential for hatred and mutual reproaches is obvious, but Russia does not yet offer a project that can change the situation, the speaker summed up.

Alexei Lapushkin, secretary of the All-Russia Political Party Partiya dela, under the guidance of which a large meeting of Russian and European conservatives took place within the MEF, noted that the most acute problems of European countries were discussed, among them: the loss of traditional moral values, uncontrolled migration and the problems of Russia, to be exact, her persecution from the countries of Western ideology. "Perhaps the main conclusion that can be drawn after the meeting - the rumors of Russia's total isolation are exaggerated. And our ideological conservative partners see Russia as a bulwark of traditional values, "Alexei Lapushkin summed up the speech.

 

"Our forum proves that we are ready to say that Russia can not develop without a clear strategy of economic growth. We hope that the ideas of the Moscow Economic Forum will bring the moment of economic breakthrough, social and technological development closer, "Konstantin Babkin concluded at the end of the meeting.