Medvedev: financial crisis affects Russia in "moderately negative" way

MOSCOW, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing global financial crisis is developing in a "moderately negative" way in Russia, said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.

"In my opinion, nothing super-dramatic has happened despite the difficult period we are living through," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Medvedev as saying during a meeting with businessmen.

He said, "Government agencies and business should try to preserve this state of affairs and not to create additional problems."

Medvedev also warned that high-ranking officials should not make unfounded forecasts about the possible outcome of the crisis.

"Whenever some of my colleagues, including those in government, say that the crisis in Russia will last for another 50 years, that is impermissible. They should find another job if they think so," he said.

Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 9.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2009, according to official statistics.

Andrei Klepach, a deputy economic development minister, said in April that Russia's GDP may tumble 8.7 percent to 10 percent in the second quarter of this year, while the whole year may see a 6 percent drop of the GDP.

The International Monetary Fund forecast in April that Russian economy will plunge 6 percent in 2009 but grow 0.5 percent in 2010.

The modified budget approved by Russia's State Duma, lower house of parliament, in the same month estimated the GDP decline at 2.2 percent.