Outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in his last interview with national TV on Thursday, reviewed his successes and failures during the four years in Kremlin and outlined his future policy plan if he becomes the country's next prime minister.
Reshaping economy, fresh blood for government
Medvedev, whose presidency ends on May 7, said that creating conditions for diversification of Russia's economy would continue to be a focus of his economic policy if he succeeds Vladimir Putin as the head of government.
"I am not quite content with the government's achievements in this term," he said, pointing to the fact that some 70 percent of Russian exports are raw materials.
He warned that Russia's heavy reliance on the export of raw materials has become a major risk for its further development.
As the future prime minister, Medvedev said he would devote himself to boosting Russia's GDP (gross domestic product) growth from the current 4 percent to at least 6 percent, and keeping the inflation rate under 5 percent.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president promised that he would renew the government composition.
"This is my intention, and it absolutely coincides with President-elect Vladimir Putin's intentions to renew the current government composition," he said, adding that there would be many new faces in his government.
He also said he would seek opinions of the "open government" members before making key decisions.
"If I gain the vote of confidence (to become the prime minister) , I will pass all the significant socio-economic decisions through that expert floor," he promised.
Fighting corruption
During the interview, Medvedev also attached importance to the fight against corruption, which he said is a duty of the state.
He noted that the Russian government's fight against corruption is currently in full swing.
"About 50 percent of the governors have been replaced during my presidency, and many of them are under criminal investigations," he said, adding that the number of corruption cases registered and investigated has been growing over the years.
The president also called on all citizens to help the government and law enforcement agencies combat corruption.
Meanwhile, he pledged that he would continue to strengthen the protection of private property and improve the country's investment environment.
Foreign policy priorities
Medvedev said in the interview that in the foreseeable future, Russia's foreign policy would not undergo any substantial changes.
"We want to be friends and to trade with everyone," Medvedev said.
On Russia's policy toward the United States, he stressed that the years of his presidency were "the best years" in the history of Moscow-Washington relations.
However, he warned that Russia would deploy its first-strike missiles if no progress is made on a missile defense treaty with the United States in the coming years.
On relations with other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Medvedev hailed his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko for showing the determination to build special relations with Moscow.
Medvedev also said that he expected the Ukrainian leaders to overcome certain stereotypes in developing relations with Russia.
"I hope the Ukrainian government and President (Viktor) Yanukovych, first of all, will overcome the remaining stereotypes while making their decisions, and will be more pragmatic as well as aware of Ukrainian interests," he said.