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Kommersant
Dmitry Medvedev, in his annual report to the state Duma, yesterday assured the deputies that the signs of economic recovery apparent, and the government’s actions are effective and mostly accurate. Parliamentary questions were reserved, unless the Communist Nikolai Kolomeitsev asked the Prime Minister, what prevents him to defend himself from the attacks of Alexei Navalny. The faction leaders were harsher in response, the Prime Minister offered to “all fall to the ground.”
This was the first report of the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the Duma, which was elected in 2016, and the last before the presidential election in 2018. In his speech, the Prime Minister was vigorous and energetic. “Progress, albeit small, is in each of the sectors that are critical to the development of the country, so it’s not just individual successes, and system improvement”, – announced Dmitry Medvedev.
What was very disturbing before-sanctions and cheap oil (with these factors began and the last, far less optimistic report of the government), now, according to the Prime Minister, only motivates. According to him, 2016 has become the “year of conscious possibilities”: the sanctions and low oil prices are already not afraid of anyone. “We learned how to use the situation when we joined the competition for leadership on the domestic and foreign market”, – explained Dmitry Medvedev, saying that external pressure has allowed Russia to realize that “we have to rely only on themselves”.
Reminding actually of relying on own forces, the Prime Minister immediately appealed to the external assessments. “Progress I see even those who can hardly be suspected of sympathizing with our country,” said Mr Medvedev, Recalling that the rating agencies Moody’s and Fitch recently revised the Outlook for Russia’s economy from “negative” to “stable” and S&P — lifted him up to “positive”. “By the end of the year, Russia may again return to the category of countries with an investment rating,” – said the head of the government, explaining that this event will allow to count on international financial flows.
Next, referring to Russia’s achievements in Doing Business (40th place) and in the ranking of global competitiveness (43rd), Mr. Medvedev acknowledged that “in everyday life people of any rankings I think not.” But for everyday life the White house, according to the report, did a lot of good. First of all, lengthened life itself — since 2006, its duration increased to six years and reached almost 72 years. “This is the highest figure in the history of the country,” – said the Prime Minister.
He further told MPs on fertility, the level of which Russia is ahead of many European countries, the struggle over budget (cost containment) and qualitative (draft labeling) medications, the plans to increase the minimum wage to the subsistence level; the convenience of the IFC; on grants to young scientists-in General, everything that should be contained in such report. The main indicator of the economy — GDP growth in 2016 — was mentioned in passing, somewhere towards the end and only in the context of the fourth quarter. While the economy has shown “albeit small, but still growth — 0.3 percent,” said Dmitry Medvedev (for the whole year, the Russian GDP decreased by 0.2%).
News in the speech of Mr Medvedev was the information about the impending tax breaks: the government is discussing investment tax concession on profit in the amount up to 5%. This theme, according to him, was discussed on Monday at a meeting with Vladimir Putin. We are talking about reducing the current tax rate 20% for companies that invest money in reconstruction, modernization and high-tech equipment. The second possible benefit — for the it sector. “These are companies that are engaged in intellectual property, patenting, and licenses,” – said Dmitry Medvedev. According to him, the cost of these activities will reduce the amount of income tax. To reduce the loss of the regions from exemptions (profit tax mostly goes to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation), benefits must account for the Federal portion of income tax. At the same time, the Prime Minister said, they have to deal with agriculture and manufacturing industries.
Questions after the report (the Prime Minister may be set to five from each party) was so restrained that it was impossible to understand who is asking them: United Russia or the opposition. The dialogue has only exacerbated the Communist Nikolai Kolomeitsev. He first told the Prime Minister that “the governments of 23 countries significantly reduced interest rates and through quantitative easing have simplified the access of their economies to Finance, in Russia, the rates are increased three times, the tariffs of natural monopolies grow.” And then suddenly asked: “Tell me, what prevents you to refuse the services you recently sacked Alexei Kudrin (former Deputy Prime Minister.– “B”) and Elvira Nabiullina and be protected from the attacks of Alexei Navalny?” The Prime Minister agreed with the Communists that the country is “probably not ideal right now the situation with loans, but nevertheless, the Central Bank consistently reduces the key rate”. About Alexei Navalny and his Fund of struggle against corruption “you do not Dimon” Mr. Medvedev said, that there is no “special way to comment on completely false products political rogues”, adding that “a respectable fraction of the Communist party should avoid”.
The atmosphere in the room changed when they began to be the leaders of the factions. Benevolent was only United Russia Vladimir Vasiliev, who told the Chairman of his party, as now the state Duma together with the government to improve the quality of legislation. In addition, he said, “All issues related to the financing of the regions should be decided at the trilateral Commission and departmental regulations, and be accepted in this chamber, discussed in the Council and approved by the President in the Federal law on the budget”.
The leaders of the three other factions were tougher. “Not enough good, educated, experienced,” upset the leader of LDPR Vladimir Zhirinovsky, dissatisfied with the fact that most Ministers in the country by education “financiers, sociologists,” and the defense and is “in charge of journalist (Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.– “Kommersant”)”. “Now the Ambassador in Turkey vacancy: can’t find the right item with knowledge of Turkish language”, – he proved facts “personnel hunger”. Nevertheless, Vladimir Zhirinovsky called on all Ministers “to smile” as they are “Ministers of the best in the world government most powerful country in the world”.
Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov, Recalling his formula to bring the country out of the crisis – “take the Holy Russia, the great power and the Soviet justice”, again reproached the Prime Minister that his government “is not considered the main formula”. Promising a deepening economic crisis and the inevitable political crisis, the Communist party leader warned that “the anger of society is growing before our eyes.” And the country’s “one by one sit the governors-it is the power of authority, the best and the main power, which every day citizens communicate”, he said. “In any case you will have to return to the Leninist-Stalinist modernization, to study the reform experience of China,’ said the leader of the Communist party.– And yet your government is working very feeble.”
The leader “Fair Russia” Sergei Mironov, and even stated that his group appreciated the work of the government “as unsatisfactory”. Assuring the Prime Minister that “the current economic model is no longer valid”, Mr. Mironov gave him a brochure with a report of his party’s “Social results 2016”. “The main conclusion of the report: social feeling of residents is extremely low and continues to decline,” – said Mr. Mironov.
“Let us so to be honest, the ground will drop all– suggested deputies Dmitry Medvedev in the return statement.– We are the living conditions? Finance closed the blockade. Oil has fallen twice. That’s all you remember? Nothing has changed. Give a universal recipe, if steer is ready. What to do next? Find additional money. And just like these conversations no value in extremely difficult internal and external situation.” And, already relenting, urged everyone: “Let’s be responsible, let us work together to help the country, not to realize political ambitions.”