This is the Moscow Kremlin, the Spasskaya Tower, which is the main tower of the Kremlin. In this minibus are young entrepreneurs who came to the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin will congratulate them on winning the "Considerable Business" award. These young people surely can't complain about the lack of attention from the government. They're leaving now.
- Have you ever been to the Kremlin?
- No, this is my first time. It's large-scale; one can feel immediately the Russian spirit.
- I'd say that it brings you energy and inspires.
The thermometer at the entrance to the Kremlin indicated that it was just above freezing.
- Is it a thaw in the relations between the government and business?
Boris Titov, Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights:
- Well, we hope so.
- How many years have you been hoping?
- Well, the situation has been improving, at least. It sounds strange, but the youth are more adaptive.
The youth walked on the Kremlin paving stones in sneakers and shoes.
- We've just seen that a new generation of entrepreneurs has appeared.
Vladimir Putin: It's them who just saw it. I knew it long ago.
For the others to see it, a big screen was installed in the representation room. That rarely happens here. Right near the Kremlin's sculptures, a man displays a video clip via his laptop.
"Everyone liked the video. It was very good".
"We exist. Considerable business".
The video is about those who don't extract oil and gas. 25-year-old Artyom Malanin from Krasnoyarsk owns a company that manufactures medical training devices for rehabilitation.
- Can a young man build a successful business in Russia?
Artyom Malanin: Yes, of course.
Vladimir Putin: "The grant was the real boost, wasn't it?"
Artyom Malanin, winner of the "Considerable Business" award: "Yes, this 300,000 was an amazing boost".
Nikolay Kuzyakov, winner of the "Considerable Business" award: "There are many tools to start these days, to try".
All of Russia already tries the sweets which Nikolay Kuzyakov produces.
Nikolay Kuzyakov: We have a wide assortment of over 500 items.
Vladimir Putin: Ooh, that's a lot. And the company from Murom treats the country with kvas and other refreshing novelties.
Vladimir Putin: Bio-lemonade?
- Yes. This is our unique product.
- What's it made of?
- It's made of lemon and fermentation starter. We're patenting the recipe.
They have dozens or even hundreds of employees and millions in revenue. Putin calls upon them to remember the most important thing.
Vladimir Putin: "Of course, business is based on making a profit. But constantly making a profit ceases to be interesting. To be the richest man in the cemetery isn't the funniest thing. It isn't the funniest thing, therefore social content is also important. This is a sense of responsibility mixed with achievement".
They held a sign which says "#we exist" when taking a photo with the president. The entrepreneurs went to the Kremlin in a minibus, discussing their paths to success.
Andrey Dukhovsky, winner of the "Considerable Business" award: "Those who want, look for opportunities. Those don't want, look for excuses".
When domestic difficulties are overcome, it's very simple to operate on the international market. They have training and resilience.
Ilya Sachkov, winner of the "Considerable Business" award: "Where an American can be driven to suicide, for a Russian, it'll be just a cause to meet with friends in the evening".
Russian entrepreneurs have had more positive causes to meet with friends in recent years. One could notice it at the Delovaya Rossiya forum.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
Putin announced decisions which are very important to the business. He announced them right away without postponing it until his address to the Federal Assembly. Capital amnesty for those who decided to return their money to Russia will be extended for one year. And the owners of companies registered abroad will be relieved of personal income tax.
Vladimir Putin: "If in 2019, they become tax residents of the Russian Federation".
Stephen Siegel, an actor and resident of Russia, also listened to Putin's speech. He definitely never saw such a thing in the USA. Anyone in the room may ask the president a question.
"Girls, start to distribute the microphones quickly. Quickly, quickly".
The girls did their best to do it as quickly as possible. But there were very many raised hands, and they all were in different places.
Vladimir Putin: I can't see you. Wait a moment.
Igor Sychkin, CEO of JSC "Mtsenskiy Foundry": I'm here. I'm at the back.
- Yes. You're in the shadows.
- I can come closer.
- You should step out of the shadows.
The head of a foundry from Oryol Oblast tried to expose Russian Railways in his question. According to him, the company refused to fulfill agreements and purchase rail ties from the foundry.
Igor Sychkin, CEO of JSC "Mtsenskiy Foundry": "A thousand people are currently out of work".
Vladimir Putin: "It's unclear how JSC RZD can dispose of the agreement so freely. First of all, we should deal with it. We'll perform a profound examination with respect to your issue. We're sure to do it very soon".
- You're in the back row. How did you manage to ask the president a question when there are so many people?
Igor Sychkin: I really needed to do it.
On the following day, the CEO of RZD received the director of the foundry in his office. It turned out that things aren't that simple.
Oleg Belozyorov, President of Russian Railways (RZD): "I have a copy of the letter where you express your agreement under the supply agreement".
RZD didn't refuse the agreement. They'll perform it but they want the foundry to be more efficient and present new developments. The plant has started to operate again, and its director sent us a video which he apparently addressed to himself as well.
Igor Sychkin: “Never criticize anyone without a cause. If you fail to do something, ask questions, and you'll have a decision. Everything will be alright!”
Such decisions were made one after another that day.
The 0%-rate of income tax for private medical education centers will remain in place.
Vladimir Putin: “I support your proposal. Moreover, I think that we can extend it to the sphere of culture as well.”
- Let me speak about sports a bit in this case. We plan to open 400 ice rinks this year.
Vladimir Putin: We also need to support judo.
It's also necessary to support the metals recycling business. They proposed to support it by bringing order to this area.
Ildar Neverov, Ecotechnopark CEO: I won 44,000 barrels on tender not long ago. They're the legacy of the Soviet Union on an island in the White Sea, they were to be recycled. We arrived there with all of our equipment. But there weren't any barrels, they were stolen before we arrived. So…
Vladimir Putin: He wanted to steal, but they came earlier. He was late.
- So, it's necessary to keep a record of this valuable secondary resource. This is huge money for the state.
- Trillion. This is big business. Therefore the fact that he came to take barrels and there already weren't any barrels isn't surprising at all. But I agree with you that we need to bring order to it.
On that day, the organizers did their best for the government to be able to literally hear business better. The escalators were rather narrow and the aisles between the rows were narrow, too.
- I'll pass by Igor Igorevich.
Almost half of the Cabinet was present. There was often applause in the room, which the government should hear when the entrepreneurs raise issues that are sensitive to them.
Vladimir Putin: "I support this applause. We discussed this issue a year ago. This question was asked then. I asked colleagues in the government. The Bank of Russia. to formulate a relevant proposal. Unfortunately, this issue still hasn't been solved".
This is about the freezing of bank accounts when companies which weren't involved in any fraud can be affected. The reaction of the head of the Bank of Russia when the rates for machine tool builders were discussed was on video. They are enterprises with very long production cycles.
Vladimir Putin: "Elvira Sakhipzadovna, it leads to that such enterprises are automatically considered to be high-risk enterprises. And the rates for them increase immediately. Well, I don't know. The Ministry of Finance should allocate additional funds to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to subsidize this rate".
- The president gave so many tasks. Will you manage to perform them in terms of finance?
Anton Siluanov, Minister of Finance: We strictly perform all of the president's tasks.
There were some initiatives and requests that nobody in the room could understand what they're talking about. An entrepreneur from Moscow Oblast talked about that he wants to build something for several minutes. But he couldn't formulate what exactly he wants to build and what for.
Vladimir Putin: What's your name?
Anatoly Belous, entrepreneur: Anatoly.
- Anatoly, it's Moscow Oblast, right?
- It's the Ramensky district.
- You asked to whom you need to turn.
- Exactly.
- Let's consider that you've already turned to him. And Andrey Yuryevich Vorobyov will help us.
- Now, I understand to where you've sent me. Thank you very much.
- He's a big supporter of this project, I'm sure.
- I'll turn to him for sure. Thank you, Mr. Putin!
Builders who formulated their thoughts in a more precise way received more precise answers. The tax payable by young families selling their only apartment can be canceled. Businessmen think that the tax is the reason for many people to refuse better housing.
Vladimir Putin: “Of course, we should make sure that there won't be any misconduct. But if we're talking about their only home, as you said, then I think that this is a quite reasonable proposal. I'll support it.”
Dmitry Panov, CEO of a development company: "In any case, that'll boost demand all over the country."
Today, Russia needs new points of growth very much. The recent report by Rosstat on the highest economic growth in the last six years surprised many people.
- Do we really have record growth in GDP?
Maksim Oreshkin, Minister for Economic Development: The statistics service works independently. This is their first estimate. If we look at internal factors, we see that they're short-term factors.
Russia needs a breakthrough for the growth factors to be more sustainable. A successful economy requires original solutions. Putin reminded how and why Russia refused humanitarian aid from abroad earlier.
Vladimir Putin: "One would think: why is it bad, they just send milk? Go and talk to the dairy producers. They'll say "Are you crazy?". They'd have to shut down their enterprises, fire people, and stop paying wages. We should be more cautious".
The president promised to use cautious proposals that were voiced at the forum when preparing his address to the Federal Assembly.
