During the forum “Small business — national idea”, President Vladimir Putin discussed important issues concerning the state of economic activity in Russia, and voiced the main directions of development of entrepreneurship in the country.
MOSCOW, 20 Jan. The Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Wednesday at a forum “Small business — national idea” and warned about the dangers of uncontrolled increase of money supply in Russia, about the readiness to discuss the law on illegal entrepreneurship, urged the head of the Central Bank to find tools to increase lending to the real sector of the economy and deemed it possible to increase the threshold for serious economic crimes.
The head of state stressed that small businesses have survived in tough economic times and assured that the government will continue to build mechanisms to support development.
To increase fivefold
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin considers it possible to increase the “five times” the current threshold of damage in 250 thousand roubles qualifying economic crime as a serious crime.
“Of course, you need to differentiate. And if we are talking about some large amount, then, of course, not 250 thousand, of course, every five to increase, it is necessary closely to figure out what’s what, what amount can relate to,” said Putin.
In addition, the President said he was willing to discuss the provisions of the criminal code “illegal entrepreneurship” if they interfere with bona fide business.
So, Vice-President of the organization “Support of Russia” has stated at the forum that there is a contradiction between the Constitution’s freedom of entrepreneurship (article 34) and the article about a criminal illegal entrepreneurship (article 171, to five years imprisonment).
“The Constitution really enshrines the right to engage in entrepreneurial activities, freedom. But criminal law is about illegal business. We have the same law does not mean that all of the illegal enterprise, criminal prosecution is subject to illegal entrepreneurship”, — said the President.
He proposed to deal with this and added that this law is aimed at protecting fair business, is designed “to protect all of us here in this room, from unfair competition”.
“If this law acts in the opposite direction, hinders entrepreneurial activity, let’s look at this. I’m ready and I think you are right, we need to look carefully…”, — stressed the head of state.
Uncontrollably dangerous to increase the money supply
In addition, the President at the meeting of the forum said that uncontrolled increase of money supply in Russia is very dangerous.
This week the Commissioner for protection of entrepreneurs ‘ rights Boris Titov called for the stimulation of the Russian economy by using “quantitative easing”, as did the U.S. Federal reserve and the European Central Bank. He called “the deepest myth” allegations that Russia has such a program could lead to inflation and not GDP.
“Just to increase the money supply endlessly and uncontrollably is very dangerous, this is, as I said, to lead to such effects, which at first glance are not visible, but they will come, if we act carelessly,” — said Putin.
Money supply the Russian Federation in the national definition (monetary aggregate M2) in 2014 grew by 2.2%, while in 11 months of 2015 — 3.7%, amounting on December 1 of last year 33,315 trillion rubles.
Growth in credit assessment and banks
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin urged the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, in particular, the head of the regulator Elvira Nabiullina, to find tools to increase lending to the real sector of the economy, including small business.
“One of the tools you already mentioned, the Central Bank Chairman is here, is the reduction of redundancy. Yes, indeed, resources are freed up. But here, let’s we will request that these funds were actually going into the real economy, including small and medium business”, — said Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the business forum “Support of Russia”.
The President noted that the act by issuing directives in this matter is impossible. “I understand that there guidance is probably not enough, and that is wrong — the guidelines give specific financial market participants. But, nevertheless, to build this system, if their funds are released, they should be used,” he added.
He stressed that financing by banks to the real economy must be found.
Putin also noted that it would be reasonable to analyze how much and in which sectors of the economy direct banks with state participation. The President proposed to consider in assessing the performance of banks with state participation, their activities on lending to small and medium businesses.
“The banks with state participation, we can also see how much and in which sectors of the economy they direct their resources. Only “Rosneft” and “Gazprom” give or they work with a wide range of clients, including small and medium business. Depending on this assessment of performance, including reward,” — said Putin.
The business survived
Russian businesses, including small, according to Putin, persevered in difficult economic conditions. “The last two years were quite difficult for the economy. Objective difficulties affected almost all sectors. But it should be noted that in General, the business survived, including small”, — he said at a session of the forum “Small business — national idea”.
According to him, the small and medium business should be a pillar of economic development of the Russian Federation.
“We are currently talking with your colleagues – even some additional opportunities, keeping in mind the currency and some of the opportunities in the markets,” he added.
Business support
The head of state at the forum “Support of Russia” said that Russian authorities will continue to build support mechanisms for the development of small and medium business, “which will allow you to keep moving forward, and in particular, how the Corporation is development of small and medium enterprises”.
“At its base, concentrated all the instruments of business support — funding, legal assistance, information marketing,” said Putin. The Corporation should become “a headquarters solution to all the problems of SMEs”.
According to Putin, it is necessary to make every effort in the field of small and medium enterprises remained stable and “time constraints — economic, budget and not become a barrier for the inflow into this sector as many educated, modern-minded and enterprising people”.
In addition, the President urged entrepreneurs to identify priority areas for business development, to create social programs of training, to achieve concrete results and then, in his opinion, “it is possible to achieve a qualitative breakthrough”. For his part, the President promised all possible assistance.
“I promise you that will make the regional authorities and governmental institutions positively responded to this and used your proposals,” Putin said.
According to him, this will help Russia to achieve economic success, which depends on the solution of social and domestic problems, as well as positioning the country in the international arena.
The President proposed to think about the development of the averaged norms for the provision of benefits for business property tax on the cadastral value.
Vladimir Putin also proposed to consider and formulate criteria of Russian trade missions abroad that, in his opinion “must support the entire Russian business — small, medium”
Putin said that trade missions are administered by the Ministry of economic development.
In the regions desired activity
The President called the all-Russian public organization of small and average business “Support of Russia” to act more aggressively and effectively.
“Support of Russia”, representing interests of entrepreneurs and has an extensive network of representatives throughout the country, must, of course, more active, particularly in the regions, act on the territories more aggressively and effectively. We will do everything so that your efforts to maintain it,” Putin said.
The President also noted with regret that “the development of small and medium businesses are far from a priority in all regions of Russia”.
“Last week at a meeting with businessmen in the framework of the Agency for strategic initiatives we discussed the topic of creation in subjects of Federation project offices for the dissemination of the so-called best business practices. Such practices are defined on the basis of the national rating of investment climate in the regions. Such promising approach would allow to establish, at least, I hope so too, the interaction between authorities and entrepreneurs. And implementing your suggestions, your ideas could become the first test for the evaluation of the work of these offices,” he said.
The complaint must be individual
All complaints in the field of small and medium business, including through the medium of the Internet, according to the President of the country, should be individualized.
Putin supported the President all-Russian public organization of small and medium entrepreneurship “OPORA Russia” Alexander Kalinin, who said that through the medium of the Internet complaints business often signed false names.
“I fully support Alexander about the fact that all complaints, including on the Internet, they certainly should be individualized. This applies not only to complaints in the area of small and medium business. In General, of course, the Internet easy to hide, rude, name-calling, to flag, some extreme, and while still unknown who does it”, — Putin said.
The President believes that “if a person has any position, has any complaints, let him say, I will call myself”. “Otherwise it’s not a claim and not a complaint, this anonymous letter. And there’s only one reviewer worked well – Lavrentiy Pavlovich Beria”, — concluded Putin.
Officials save
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin noted that this year few Russian officials went to the world economic forum in Davos.
“I can see that a large number of colleagues from the government. It is unclear who is in Davos went skiing before we went, and now do not go, apparently, money they do not have enough tickets save”, — joked the head of state after speaking at the forum “Support of Russia”.
“It is well, at home we have to work”, — Putin said.
