A Road Map to Modernize and Develop Russia

Yurgens' Institute of Contemporary Development, a think tank chaired by Medvedev, has been urging modernisation since it was created two years ago. Its policies are a few steps ahead of Medvedev's plan, which has included battling corruption and boosting innovation in the economy.

Efforts at modernisation had not been very effective so far, Yurgens said.

Russian think-tank director wants Medvedev to stand for president in 2012

Moscow, 8 February: The chairman of the board of directors of the Institute of Modern Development (INSOR), Igor Yurgens, has spoken in favour of [Russian President] Dmitriy Medvedev running for the presidential election in 2012.

"My position is straight: I am in favour of Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev finding the strength and the will to run for the [presidential] election in 2012 and to gradually implement the modernization programme, which he has declared," Yurgens said on Monday [8 February] at an on-line conference organized by the Gazeta.ru on-line newspaper.

At the same time Yurgens said he did not think it possible that the modernization process would be wound up if Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ran for the upcoming presidential election. "This does not mean that the modernization will be wound up if Putin runs for the election and is elected," Yurgens said.

Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1109 gmt 8 Feb 10