KEMEROVO. June 21 (Interfax) - The amount of investment in Russia is expected to increase following the 2008 presidential elections in the country, Russian presidential aide Igor Shuvalov said in Kemerovo on Thursday.

"Our forecasts suggest that the country will begin receiving an enormous amount of foreign direct investment after the presidential elections next March. And Russian citizens will invest more than they do today," he said.

"We are standing on the threshold of huge investment opportunities," Shuvalov said.

"Housing construction will soar at an unheard of rate. Eighty million square meters of apartments a year or even more is a realistic figure," the presidential aide said.

Speaking at a news conference later today, Shuvalov also addressed industrial production growth this year and in 2008.

"Capital inflow over the first five months (of 2007) is larger than in the whole of 2006. As far as the construction and energy sectors are concerned, they showed the most rapid pace of growth. Industrial output is expected to expand by 7% or even more this year," he said.

"Experts have come to the conclusion that after the elections, when it becomes clear that the current domestic policy will continue and the country's internal priorities remain the same, industrial production and capital inflow will grow at a quicker pace than they do today," he said.