A total of 36 Russian regional governors took part in the recent Gaidar Forum, a record number at the event. The officials made reports and took an active part in panel sessions.
Along with governors, the event was also attended by foreign top officials. The plenary session was addressed by Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Paula Risikko, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Italian Minister of Economy and Finances Giovanni Tria, and others. In all, 150 foreign experts representing 56 countries took part in the forum. The event was also attended by representatives of 178 foreign diplomatic missions.
This year’s Gaidar Forum, organized by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), attracted 13,000 visitors. The forum program included 100 sessions, panels and roundtable discussions, with over 700 people making reports. In 20 reports, speakers gave recommendations on the economic policy. A total of 900 journalists, including 80 foreign reporters, were working at the forum. An opinion poll conducted by Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) revealed that 42% of Russians knew about the forum; 44% of the surveyed said the forum was a necessary event. The Gaidar Forum is organized without state financing and sponsored by 19 companies.