Press Release, 22.03.2019

Emilia Slabunova, Chair of the Yabloko party and MP of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, spoke against the bill on reducing the requirements for investors in Karelia at the Karelian parliament today.

According to the bill, a certain circle of investors is levied of the obligation to pay a salary of at least two minimum wages per an employee sop that to be able to get state support. Such a rule is now enshrined in law.

According to Emilia Slabunova, the present indicator can be called “minimally optimal”. If you the requirements are reduced, Karelia may receive investors, “who will be engaged in [such “innovative” business as] collecting felled trees”.

“Those investors who pay wages within the subsistence minimum are no longer credible,” Yabloko’s Chair said at a meeting of the Karelian parliament. “In order for us to achieve the goals that are set in the Karelian Development Strategy until 2030, which says that we should almost become the centre of innovation, we must support those investors who will create a modern economy for us, and not those who will collect the deadwood. Because for the salary that is put here as the bottom margin … it is only on such an activity [as collecting deadwood] that we can talk about such [low] salaries.”

However, the bill was adopted by a majority vote of the pro-government United Russia.