Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told reporters after the Government Presidium meeting that the Government would provide additional assistance to industrial enterprises with the volume of sales over 15-16 billion roubles per year or personnel size of over 4,000 employees, to a number of city-sustaining enterprises and defence industries.

Mr Kudrin said the list of the companies to receive Government's assistance may include over 300 enterprises. He said that the list of the strategically important national companies to receive Government's assistance will be finalised this week. 

Mr Kudrin also said that a new working group will be established within the commission for countering the global economic crisis and social protection, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. The new group will be responsible for reviewing industrial programmes and the condition of the companies included in the list, and determining the exact assistance volumes.  

Mr Kudrin said that the Government's purchase of private companies' stocks was a temporary measure. The Government will be selling the stocks in the future. "We consider this to be a temporary anti-crisis measure," Mr Kudrin said. He stressed that the Government "would be purchasing private stocks only upon request from the companies, and only as much as it would be able to afford." According to Mr Kudrin, the Government will keep the stocks for a period of one to one and a half years. 

Mr Kudrin said that Russia's economy would grow by up to 3% in 2009. The relevant ministries are currently finalising the new forecast of socio-economic development in 2009. According to Mr Kudrin, the Government has already taken additional systemic measures to decrease the negative consequences of the world crisis for the Russian economy in 2009. He believes that 2009 will be the most difficult year. The measures include lower taxes, new loans, additional capitalisation of some companies and financial institutions, and adjustment of tariffs. Also, budget expenditures will be redistributed towards allocation of additional resources for supporting the demand in the spheres of infrastructure and housing construction. The Government believes that these measures will result in positive economic growth rates in 2009.  

Mr Kudrin also said that the growth of natural monopolies' tariffs would be reduced at least by 10-15 percent. "Tariff rates will be significantly reduced from the originally planned levels," he said. According to Mr Kudrin, the tariffs in question are those for gas, rail fares, and electricity for household needs.