MOSCOW. April 15 (Interfax) - State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov has criticized the Russian economy's penchant toward natural monopolies, which, in his opinion, is slowing the advent of a competitive environment.

"The Russian economy remains an economy of monopolies, and an economy that lacks a competitive environment. Natural monopolies indeed are strengthening the country to a large extent, but on the whole they are slowing its development," Gryzlov told the 9th congress of pro-Kremlin United Russia on Tuesday.

Gryzlov was presenting a report on the party's role in the formulation and implementation of Russia's socioeconomic development strategy until 2020.

"The country has just recovered from oil addiction, but it must not become hooked on natural monopolies," he said.

Gryzlov also said that the structure of the jobs market, especially in the industrial sector, was not stimulating people to seek quality education. The economy is experiencing a shortage of labor, he said.

Productivity can be boosted only through the introduction of new technologies and the efficient use of labor, said Gryzlov.