The leader of Yabloko Grigory Yavlinsky thinks that, even though Vladimir Putin is not an economist he understands the crux of the economic problems facing Russia at present.

"The main thing is that he understands the crux," said Yavlinsky in an interview given to the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, which was published on July 3, 2001.

To confirm his words, he noted that the President liked the idea of splitting the budget of the country into two parts. " One half would be based on all the incidental conjuncture and the other half on everything else. The President liked this idea," noted Yavlinsky.

Stressing that at present the President was trying to implement this idea Yavlinsky expressed his opinion that " but the Government objects."

However, Yavlinsky was critical of those around Putin. [This entourage]
is “jealous and nervous bunch and they are concerned about their place and role by his side," he said.

Speaking about Yabloko's discrepancies with the President, Yavlinsky
noted that such discrepancies do take place " on a number of important issues in state-building and domestic policies." In particular, the leader of Yabloko mentioned the problem of Chechnya, problems of "local government, the development of a civil society, NTV and staff appointments."

"But it is perfectly natural that people hold different points of view in a country," added Yavlinsky.

Asked about the prospects of a merger between Yabloko and the Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS) on the threshold of the next parliamentary elections, he responded that this would be tantamount to a merger between Izvestiya, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Argumenti i Fakti [newspapers]. "Why there should be three different
democratic papers? Let all of you write together."

At the same time he expressed his conviction that he would be able to
find a common language with the leader of the SPS Boris Nemtsov. "The attitude of the people in our party to Boris [Nemtsov] is very positive," added Yavlinsky.

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

The Yabloko Leader Grigory Yavlinsky: sometimes Putin and I talk on our own for half a day