In 1995 the whole political situation was very complicated. I was the first deputy prime minister, and at the same time I had very low influence in the government.

During the Soviet era, private ownership was a crime punishable with up to five years in prison.

You're not always able to choose.

Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.

The diversification of the people's demand could not be followed by the state apparatus.

Each university should have a Young Scholars' Committee. I became the chairman of this Committee, and immediately it was permitted to have this plan officially adopted.

I joined the city government, and we start to operate as the bureaucrats on the local level, so we were the only ones in the whole Russian team who were experienced in practical bureaucratic management in the complicated condition of 1990.