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Article: East Germany's Economic Goals Trimmed Following '87 Slowdown
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- February 7, 1988
- Author:
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East Germany has scaled back its economic targets under its
current five-year plan after growth eased last year to the slowest
pace since 1982 because of sagging investment, poor exports and a
reluctance to borrow from the West.
A new note of self-criticism has appeared in official statements
on the economy. The nation's communist leaders have conceded openly
for the first time in several years that performance has fallen
considerably short of goals.
So far, however, the government has responded by reviving calls
for "greater discipline" rather than by echoing Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev's proposals for perestroika, or restructuring.