Russia cannot have democracy without high technologies, labor productivity - Surkov
SKOLKOVO. Nov 29 (Interfax) - Innovations are the primary political objective because they promote democracy, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov said at a meeting with representatives of research institutes and other organizations at the Skolkovo Innovation Center.
"I view innovations as the primary political objective. It precedes building of parties or elections, it precedes everything because there will be no democracy without high technologies and higher labor productivity," he said.
"Democracy was born after technologies, because democracy is a luxury," Surkov said.
"You can be free if you have many products. If you do not, you are forced to tighten the rules simply because that is vital," he said.
The country's development strategy, capabilities and resources depend on the success of innovations, he said.
The Skolkovo event was dedicated to the formation of creative environment and interaction between innovators and the state.
The participants discussed support to regional innovations, elaboration of recommendations for authorities with regard to promotion of innovations and measures of legal, methodological and organizational support to inventors and innovators.
Surkov stressed the importance of such meetings.
"I want very much the involvement of my United Russia comrades, who have given much time to this work and have been supporting this policy for many years, to be more systemic. We are prepared for joint work: both laws, normative acts, and a frame of mind are important for innovations," the vice prime minister said.
State Duma deputies, among them Vice-Speaker Sergei Zheleznyak (United Russia), took part in the event.