Zee Beam News

MOSCOW, March 2 (RIA Novosti) - Investments are crucial if Russia is to maintain its economic growth, the country's economics minister said Thursday. German Gref told a government session that investment value had risen 10.6% in 2005, although most of it was going into a small group of companies in transport, the minerals sector and real estate. The energy sector, metals and communications received a smaller share, and only 2% went to machine-building, Gref said. "Insufficient investment is becoming a critical factor in the competitiveness of the Russian economy and employment," Gref said.