Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday in his state-of-the-nation address, stressing that foreign partners and knowledge would be key to implementing his plan for modernization and innovation.
The government must ease visa requirements to help attract scientists and create tax initiatives to develop a high-tech hub like California’s Silicon Valley, he said.
Otherwise, Russian goods will keep their “shamefully low” level of competitiveness and the economy will continue to suffer from its “humiliating” reliance on oil and gas.
“Diplomatic efforts serving the interests of the economy should be given particular oversight,” Medvedev said.
“The results should be visible not just as specific help to Russian companies abroad or as efforts to promote national brands for goods and services, although …