EBRD Chief Economist Guriev says he has only Russian citizenship, working in London with diplomatic visa
MOSCOW. Nov 12 (Interfax) - Sergei Guriev, the chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and former head of the New Economic School (NES, known in Russia as Russian Economic School) says he is working in London with a diplomatic visa and does not have any citizenship except Russian.
"I am a Russian citizen, and I don't have any other passport. I am working in London with a diplomatic visa," Guriev, who has come to Moscow to present an EBRD macroeconomic report, told journalists on Saturday.
He said he had a positive outlook of the Russian economy in the long term.
Guriev said he had not had any official meetings with Russian government officials.
"I've been working as the EBRD chief economist only for two months, and I believe it's too early to ask about my meetings with Russian government officials," he said.
"I didn't have official meetings with officials from the Russian presidential office or the Russian government. I won't comment on unofficial meetings," Guriev said.
A knowledgeable source told Interfax that Russian law enforcement agencies did not have any questions for Guriev during his stay in Moscow.