VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
"The year's total federal allocations to promote business along many channels approach 80 billion roubles, including 15 billion roubles for the plough-back of regional guarantee funds to enhance the crediting of small and medium-size companies. We aim not merely to increase the quantitative indices of business development but to achieve a qualitative improvement, to help small and medium-size companies to extend the geography of their presence, and acquire a firm footing in such spheres as housing, utilities and municipal services, science, innovation, information technologies and other knowledge-based services."
"For small and medium-sized enterprises, the credit problem is to a great extent connected with the shortage of collateral. In order to find a solution to this problem we need to develop regional guarantee funds more actively. We have already set aside 3.5 billion roubles as part of the Federal Support Programme for entrepreneurship, to top up regional guarantee funds. I can tell you that we have decided to allocate 15 billion roubles in additional resources to these ends. In the final analysis, we need to build up a comprehensive system of financial support for businessmen, ranging from grants to bank loans."
"Another major package of issues concerns SMEs' access to state and municipal orders. It has a special significance in conditions of the crisis and decreasing loans. I think we should speed up the introduction of the procedure for the placement of state orders through electronic auctions. This will allow us to ensure the businesses' fully transparent and public access to trading."
"Yesterday I also signed a resolution on improving the process of connecting to the electricity networks. This sets out the simplified procedure and reduced tariffs for connection. Connections of less than 100 KW will only require the advance payment of 5% of the service cost, and also include the option of extending repayments for up to three years. I also suggest that the connection term should not exceed six months."
"The companies whose annual revenues do not exceed 30 million roubles may use a simplified system of taxation. Many proposals have been made to raise this ceiling. <...> We view this decision as an anti-crisis measure that will allow us to ease the tax burden on a considerable part of small businesses. As the saying goes, proper timing is everything. This is why we believe we can provide this effective assistance now, at this difficult time; at least, this is our standpoint and representatives of your associations agree with us. It is true that without indexation this measure will gradually lose its effectiveness. But we will consider this problem again some time later."
"The general logic of improving the taxation system should be aimed at preventing non-transparent schemes, preferences, and general mayhem, which are breeding corruption."
"We propose to lower the base for calculating the profit tax by excluding the funds provided to companies within the framework of regional and municipal SME support programmes. For example, if you receive a grant of 300,000 roubles, it will be deducted from the taxable base, provided the money comes from corresponding budgets."
"I am convinced that the contribution of SMEs to Russia's development, to the diversification and modernisation of its economy will grow in the long run. They will become more prominent not only in the traditional spheres of their operation, but also in high-tech spheres such as engineering, science and telecommunications. To preserve and develop this creative potential, we should create the utmost favourable and comfortable environment for enterprise. This approach has been laid down in the Government's anti-crisis plan and long-term strategy until 2012."
"Assistance to the economic sectors. We have not come up with anything unusual in this sphere; we are doing the same other countries are doing. To begin with, we are reducing the tax burden on the economy. We have cut the profit and small business tax and have taken several other measures. Company directors know that they imply an increase of bonuses depreciation, etc., to 30%. This keeps the money in the economy, allowing enterprises to survive and develop. We are cutting the customs port duties, which our partners have shown criticism towards. We are raising customs import duties on the goods that are also produced here to ensure their sale on the domestic market."
“We have passed a bill to entitle regions to the right of reducing the taxation of small and medium-sized businesses from 15% to 5%. We have established funds for the support of such businesses. They function either through banks as they receive federal finances or through regional agencies. We will support small and medium-sized businesses in every economic branch on our priority list, farming being no exception.”
