MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) – The Valdai Discussion Club’s Development Index report for the past year highlights conflicting trends at the heart of changes underway in Russia today.
Aside from the main change, an increase in importance of the role of President associated with Vladimir Putin’s return to the post, the 2012 survey of international experts observed improvements in the high-tech, innovation and financial services sectors, and also said that the country’s foreign policy activity and defense potential were notably more robust.
But they also noted negative developments in other areas.
“The experts in comments to their marks pointed out that Russia is at a crossroads, from where it could start to quickly climb upward or descend into stagnation,” said Pavel Andreev, Executive Director of the Valdai Club Foundation.
The Valdai Development Index has been running for several years, polling the world’s leading Russia specialists on trends and changes underway within the country. It covers a broad range of areas, from defense, politics and the economy to culture and society and focuses chiefly on year-on-year changes rather than events.
The full text of the report can be found on the Valdai Club site.