Press Release, 24.06.2015

A round table “What reforms are needed in the context of sustainable development of small and medium-sized enterprises” took place in the International University in Moscow today within he frameworks of an independent Public Expert Council for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs). YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the event.

Experts, representatives of business community, economists and politicians discussed the prospects of development for small and medium-sized businesses: the adequacy of the measures taken and the implementation of these orders, the need for fundamental reforms in the economy, politics and business.

Vladimir Maslakov, head of the Laboratory for Conflict and Situation Analysis at the Faculty of Management of Large Cities, was the anchor of the event.

Sergei Mitrokhin noted in his speech that before thinking about the reforms it was necessary “to build a law-governed state from scratch”

Mitrokhin told the audience about YABLOKO’s campaigns held in support of entrepreneurs.

“You can not do business, any business, in a country where the key goal of a life-long leader of the state is to preserve his own power. What economy do we have now, and what economy do we need? Now we have a rent-based economy, but need a competitive economy. In our country a post earns money rather than a talent and entrepreneurial initiative “, Mitrokhin said.

He also said that speaking about the budget deficit, the government at the same finances many projects, such as building of nuclear power plants in Finland and Hungary.

“We will have such an economy until changing of the political course. It makes no sense to speak now about a lot of issues that we have discussed. What is the way out of this? Only through politics. Equality of all before the law, an independent judiciary, freedom of choice and, of course, guarantee of private property rights – these are the political demands “, YABLOKO leader noted in his speech.

Ilya Khandrikov, Chairman of the Public Expert Council, Adviser to YABLOKO Chairman, made a presentation “Small and medium businesses: stagnation or systemic reforms?”

Khandrikov spoke about the problems of oligarchic capitalism, absence of sound competition, a relations between the business and the government. He also commented on the report “On measures to develop small and medium enterprises in the Russian Federation”, which was prepared for the April 7 meeting of the State Council of the Russian Federation.

On April 28, Vladimir Putin signed 14 orders following the meeting of the State Council. The orders should be implemented until the end of 2015.

“It is impossible to win over the present system, we must create a new economic system based on real competition. How can we create such a system? For 30 years we have been witnessing deterioration, but we must remember that soon there will be elections, and we must choose such representatives of the authorities, whom businesses could trust to”, Khandrikov concluded.