“In Russia there is no medium-sized businesses, only an outstanding” – BBC

The fact why Russian businessmen are dying out as a class, and many people prefer to sell itself abroad, although once entire cities kept their merchants and industrialists, in an interview with the head of “Business Russia” Alexey Repik “Gazeta.ru».

X begins May 26 Forum “Business Russia”, what you leave him? ?

– To begin with, that the forum – it is a holiday, and it goes on the day of the entrepreneur. It will mark every fourth worker in Russia, 5.6 million companies.

– Congratulations. But the contribution of the business, whose interests are represented by “Business Russia” is not impressive when compared to other emerging markets.

– Indeed, the share of the private sector in the economies of many other countries is 50% or more, and the number of employed workers is not a quarter, as we have, and a third or more.

– about the last 15 years and only heard that SMEs need to develop and maintain, but no changes. You headed “Business Russia” in the past year. Why not grow the share of SMEs in the economy?

– I would not have segmented the – there’s just business. Separation of business on small, medium, large, family, individual, on what you want – it is, in my view, narrows the agenda of “Business Russia”. For me, it all links in a single system: every small business should be average, and should strive for this, the average – a national champion, the champion – the exporter, a global leader.

– No, still it makes sense to separate the business category, otherwise it is not clear how to compare and what to navigate.

– Let’s not hang tags.

Russian business – no not the average, it is – an outstanding, exceptional.

I’m in the “Business Russia” of any medium-sized businesses I do not know; They have simply not survive. Those who consider themselves middle, usually very quickly deflate like balloons.

– Businesses a lot of talk about the lack of state support. Without it does?

– If we talk about the financial state support, in 2013-2014, the federal budget was allocated about 135 billion rubles. Means a lot.

business in the first place necessary conditions for its development: the ability to implement strategies for long-term horizon, administrative, fiscal stability. Finally, businesses need a sense of confidence in the future, security.

These things, of course, exciting and always worried entrepreneurs is what they always discuss. At the forum, including, we will discuss it in the section devoted to the interaction of business and government.

– This is the key problem – the interaction of business and government?

– No. The key problem is related to the extinction of one side, that is, in fact, the business community – we are getting smaller. The share of SMEs in the economy is growing and will continue to grow, but the business is getting smaller. Now everyone needs a comfortable, quiet, work hard salary.

In addition, many sell themselves as entrepreneurs, but not in Russia and abroad. And it’s not very cool.

This is an indication that in our society there is no right way of the entrepreneur. Professions entrepreneur lacks public recognition. In America, you have to criticize, there are, for example, success stories, which popularized everywhere. In Russia, too many stories of this kind.

The merchants and industrialists developing cities, develop new territories stood at the origins of social and transport infrastructure.

Unfortunately, now their role It has been forgotten.

– Do you think that the reluctance to do business – a mass phenomenon in Russia?

– That’s right. To the idea began to be realized, the key in the ignition someone has to turn, the necessary initiatives. If not, you can have a great investment climate, to have a state, carefully blown away from you motes, but still nothing happens. Businessman – this is the first and most important link. Next – you need a team. If you are one, then you most likely it will not work, because one is a warrior.

– It is still possible to breathe new life into the entrepreneurs’ movement? Or that it was necessary to deal with the crisis?

– The time is always right. After all, including due to the crisis on entrepreneurship is now so focused efforts. The logic supporting non-oil economy is, one might say, lifesaving.

– When collapsing ruble and say that domestic exporters will only benefit – the extent to which this is true?

– Any non-oil exports – a subtle theme. About a lot of talk, really, in a clean, understandable way it does not exist.

For example, it is easy to sell aluminum. Make a price lower than 5%, for example, than the Chinese competitor, and you won, I took the part of the market. It’s simple: the same product – the issue price. Of course, if we are talking about oil or gas, the process is a bit more complicated – a special transport, a number of other issues.

But when we start talking about technological products: machinery, medicines, equipment, machine tools – they just do not sell. There need infrastructure, we need mechanisms for warranty service, promotion, etc. Non-oil exports requires much more effort. 3-4 years ago, our company, in the same “Business Russia”, said: Well, what there is Brazil, why go there with our product? Firstly, the Russian market, and so big. Secondly, it is difficult and expensive. What happens now? Jewelry Company “Almaz-Holding” is building a network for the sale of jewelry, hundreds of stores in China. “Abrau Durso” withdrawal of Russian wine-making in the US, the UK, Thailand, Indonesia, the same China. Today, a variety of Russian goods is already on all continents.

– Who introduced the registry audit companies. This is the cost of state capitalism? What is the meaning of this innovation, and whether it will help businesses get rid of excessive control?

– Let me explain with an example: I, as a reviewer, I come to you in the office and notice that you’re using non-certified recorder. You give me a bribe, and I’m going nowhere fixing this test. The register of inspections remains the record. The meaning of the registry just to bring verification of the gray zone controlled. The register should show: was a test, issued an order “to replace the recorders.” The register will provide a framework that does not allow the scale opaque check. I do not see a reason for skepticism, this little technological solution, not a panacea.

– Loans business now takes?

– In general, no, now it’s expensive. Business reduces investment. Of course, we talk about the modernization of the economy at current levels of interest rates on loans is difficult. But there is a solution: the fund gained industry support, subsidized rates – credit becomes cheaper. Of course, not as we would like. For example, in Japan or Singapore can take a loan at 3-4%. Now for us it is unattainable. However, 9-11% per annum – this is something that you can work with anything.