Organisational matters and the main areas in which the corporation plans to develop its activities were the subjects of discussion.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Braverman, all economies around the world pay particular attention to developing small and medium business, and in most developed economies, this sector holds a big place and often has the leading share of economic activity.
We are making efforts to develop this sector, of course, but so far, this has not been enough. The purpose of the corporation that was set up, and that you now head, is to intensify this work.
I would like to hear about your plans for organising this work, and what you are doing now in this area.
Head of the Federal Corporation for Developing Small and Medium Business Alexander Braverman: Thank you, Mr President.
Over the past month and a bit, the Government, with the support of our experts, has adopted two key documents setting out in detail the interaction between infrastructure monopolies, state companies, joint-stock companies in which the state holds 30 percent plus one share, and the Corporation in the area of purchases.
This is a huge market worth 1.7 billion rubles a year – the 10 percent share of the market set aside as a quota for small and medium business. This will most certainly give a big boost to small and medium business.
A list of 35 companies was put together. The formula is classic: 20 percent of the companies account for 80 percent of purchasing contracts. The Prime Minister has approved the list of 35 companies and we have started working with it accordingly. In this sector, high-technology goods are the main area.
The second sector is the mass sector. Here, we are establishing marketing navigators. This enables businesspeople to find the needed products, goods and services. Say a businessperson has a café with 50 customers a day, and needs to hire four people. Using the navigators, he can find out where to get the needed products for the café, and where to train the personnel, and the local or regional authorities will help with premises or land.
We concluded an agreement with the Prosecutor General’s Office under which they will support honest and conscientious businesspeople with measures in addition to those already in place. We think this is very important. I have already briefed you on the assets support.
Vladimir Putin: The Prosecutor General’s Office would provide support even without any agreements. There is no need for an agreement here. Agreements are probably only needed for additional support measures.
Alexander Braverman: Yes, this is the format for our work. This is what we are doing.
Vladimir Putin: That is the right way to proceed, I agree. Good.
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