MOSCOW - President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called for comprehensive reform of Russia's political system in his fourth and final state-of-the-nation address.

Local analysts noted that Medvedev devoted half of his speech to the outcome of his four years as president, which, in his words, were mostly positive and successful.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev prepares to deliver his last state-of-the nation address at the Kremlin in Moscow December 22, 2011.  [Photo/Agencies]

Medvedev reminded listeners several times during the 70-minute speech that Russia was facing "hard times" and needs "comprehensive" reforms.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Speaking in the Kremlin's ornate Georgiyevsky Hall before the Federal Assembly made up of both houses of parliament, Medvedev noted that during his administration Russia has become the world's sixth largest economy.

He highlighted other achievements, too, including Russia's low unemployment rate, decreasing inflation and small national debt, and a growing birthrate and life expectancy.

"All measures I initiated have been implemented," Medvedev said, adding that the government's anti-crisis policy has proved to be correct.

Local experts noted that despite painting a rather rosy picture of the current state of affairs in the Russian economy, Medvedev also repeatedly warned the hard times were still ahead.

He said that a global economic depression could last for several years and Russia should make more efforts to improve its competitiveness.

"We really are facing hard times," the president said, "The global economic depression could last several years, while competition for the minds, the ideas, the resources will only get stiffer, and we are in the epicenter of this race."

Medvedev added that Russia could remain a safe harbor only if the political and economic reforms he started would be continued.

The president, however, did not at all mention in his address how the government planned to face the new wave of the global crisis, Sergei Markov, deputy chief of the Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics and a member of the Russian Public Chamber, told Xinhua.

Markov said the government probably has not yet developed a thorough strategy for that scenario and it has to wait and see which sector of the economy would be hit first so as to take some particular counter-measures.

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