OREANDA-NEWS.  January 30, 2012. The majority of panel discussions at The Russia Forum, jointly organised this year by Sberbank of Russia and Troika Dialog, will focus on discussing Russia’s future development, the country’s pressing economic, social and political problems and will attempt to determine what the country’s most important challenges are and how to overcome them.

Russia is on the brink of global change: the days of easy money from selling energy resources are coming to an end and the country is crossing over to a new political cycle. In March presidential elections will be held and changes to Russian legislation will enable the new government to enact more long-term programs. That is exactly why the discussion of Russia’s path of development and the opinions of business leaders, government officials and independent experts are very relevant.

The Forum will be opened by the plenary session Russia 2018: at Vital Crossroads and 10 Challenges That Will Determine the Country’s Future. The session will discuss questions such as: Is it possible in such conditions to support economic growth in the country? What economic policy instruments does the government have at its disposal? How can new capital flows be attracted to the country? Herman Gref, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Sberbank of Russia, Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate for economics and Princeton University professor, Kenneth Rogoff, professor of public policy and economics at Harvard University, Michael Milken, Chairman of the Milken Institute, Sergei Guriev, rector of the Russian New Economic School, Aleksei Kudrin, Russian statesman, and other high-profile speakers will take part in the discussion.