Plant and fertilize

At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on June 17-19, 2010, the words “innovation”, “modernization” and “Skolkovo” sounded more often than “investments”, “loans” and “business”. President Dmitry Medvedev in his report with the characteristic title “We changed” even proposed a kind of alternative to classical liberalism with his state-free watchman-a sad state.

Dmitry Medvedev during the inspection of exhibition stands of partner companies of the XIV St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Photo: Mikhail Klimentiev / ITAR-TASS

In 2009, the forum participants were looking for ways to get out of the crisis. To the question “found”, asked during the final press conference, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade Elvira Nabiullina extensively replied that PEF participants examined different options. In 2010, there is another task-not only to comprehend the lessons of the crisis, but also to determine the “main risk zones for future development”, the head of the Ministry of Economic Development designated the forum.

And the development has already begun, President Dmitry Medvedev continued in his report. The crisis almost retreated: if in the second quarter of 2009 the economic recession in Russia amounted to 11 percent, then in five months of 2010 the economy was 4 percent growth. Therefore, probably, the head of state radiated optimism. He was also pleased that eminent politicians and economists from around the world took part in the forum. Attention to Russia is growing, the president made conclusions. There are reasons for this: Russia is modernized, and according to the plan of the authorities , over the next decades, it will become a country of the future, where “the well -being and high quality of citizens' lifestyle is ensured not so much at the expense of raw material sources as intellectual resources: an innovative economy that creates unique knowledge, the export of the latest technologies, the export of products of innovative activity”.

“Russia should become an attractive country where people from around the world will strive in search of their special dreams, in search of the best opportunities for success and self -realization, which Russia can give everyone who is ready to accept this challenge and love Russia as their new or as its second house,” Dmitry Medvedev shared his plans. And immediately, in order to confirm the seriousness of intentions, he told the world establishment about Russian know-how (“I hope this will be good news”).

Judging by the applause from the hall, the news and, however, were good. The key-three: cancellation of the capital tax, reducing the number of strategic enterprises and the creation of an investment fund on the principles of private-state partnership.

The tax increase or income tax on legal entities in the implementation of assets increased in the value (Capital Gain) will be canceled by 2011 for long -term direct investments.

The number of strategic joint-stock companies will decrease from 213 to 41, strategic FSUPs-from 230 to 159. However, as it became known , in fact, an organization, first of all, is subject to exclusion from the list of strategic enterprises, where the state belongs to less than 50 percent of the shares (with the exception of Transinzhstroy OJSC, Gazprom OJSC, RKK N. P. Korolev and Channel One--Channel One- there, according to the Kremlin’s reservation, “by virtue of the structure of joint -stock capital”, the state carries out the functions of a majority shareholder); Secondly, enterprises in the bankruptcy procedure (without an adequate recovery strategy); Thirdly, the companies in which the state managed to sell the shares before the entry into force of the presidential decree, which classifies them to the number of strategic, as well as liquidated organizations. The real release from the list of “strategists”, in fact, affects only the control packages of shares of 15 airports and enterprises of the telecommunications sector, as well as blockpacks of sea and river ports, river shipping facilities and industry research institutes.

President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of Gazprom OJSC Alexei Miller, First Deputy Chairman of Vnesheconombank Anatoly Tikhonov and Chairman of Vnesheconombank Vladimir Dmitriev (from left to right) during the inspection of the Gazprom exhibition stand-Partner of the XIV St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Photo: Mikhail Klimentiev / ITAR-TASS

The investment fund will appear during the year. A business under the auspices of the state will invest in the development of strategic investment projects of three rubles per official, Dmitry Medvedev shared exemplary calculations.

On round tables, all the stated topics were discussed again from the perspective of modernization. Within the framework of the key (or in any case, the very “thematic”) table of the forum-“Technopolis-the city of innovation”-the leaders of Nokia, Cisco Systems, Intel and other business leaders announced that the construction of the Innograd in Skolkovo is an extremely promising project and they are not afraid to participate in it. The next day, as part of a meeting of the modernization commission, Dmitry Medvedev announced that he would personally head the Board of Trustees of the Fund, thereby indicating the status of the project. In addition to the head of state, the council included Deputy Prime Ministers and officials of the presidential administration.

Medvedev’s decision to personally oversee the main Russian project, leveling future risks of the development of the economy (Skolkovo is designed to reform the Russian economic system: the raw materials will leave, innovations will come), successfully fits into the post -criticism model of business and state relations. Liberalism gives way to moderate (and not very) protectionism, Medvedev stated. But the budget deficits of developed countries of the world go off the through the GDP, and therefore the whole world is in search of optimal budget models. States come to the need to increase taxes and reduce costs. Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin at a round table about the Russian budget policy said that the revenue of the Russian budget in the coming years will increase to 33-34 percent of GDP, and the expenses in 2009 amounted to 41 percent of GDP. Elvira Nabiullina, Alexey Kudrin and Dmitry Medvedev confirmed: taxes will grow. Kudrin directly stated that at least tax benefits should be revised - there are too many of them.

Elvira Nabiullina even in a welcoming speech noted that after each crisis the world community is looking for new economic and political models: after the 1930s crisis, the role of the state increased, the crisis of the 1970s forced to develop new energy strategies. The last default, judging by the PEF, again allows the state (Russian - accurately) a special role in the new economic model. Given that protectionism can no longer do, the state cannot be content with the role of the night watchman, as it was before the crisis of the 1930s, as well as a similar role that the neoconservatism of the 1970s assigned him.

Dmitry Medvedev proposed his concept: Sadian state. “The state should not always tear apples from the tree of the economy itself,” the president, the president, adapted to new economic realities. - There will be someone who can do it sometimes better and more effective. But what the state should do, what is included in the duties of the state is to help to grow our apple garden, that is, to help develop the economy and economic environment. ” The model is extremely convenient: the gardener at any time can intervene in the crop production process, reasoning that the “apples” are more necessary for himself. Well, it is clear that the “apples” will be produced using high -tech equipment that themselves will become goods. Without innovation, there is no future, and the authorities are capable of a greater extent to take the risks associated with their development and implementation than business and inert society.