Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the proposal to reduce the value added tax (VAT) on the acquisition and sale of gold in bullion by Russian citizens.

Speaking at a meeting in Magadan, the head of state called “worthy of attention” the idea of the president of the gold mining company Polyus, Evgeniy Ivanov, that the population “should have an alternative to the dollar and the euro,” in particular, through the purchase of gold measuring bars, Ekho Moskvy reports. ".

At the same time, at present, when subsequently selling such bars to banks, citizens of the country are forced to pay a 20 percent tax, he emphasized. E. Ivanov. In this regard, the president of Polyus called for the creation of conditions so that “Russians can buy bullion.”

The head of state instructed the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation to bring issues of increasing the profitability of gold mining and subsoil use to the consideration of the Russian government.

Magadan region by 2015, it is expected to double gold production to 50 tons.

The President also believes that tax changes are necessary for the efficiency of Russian gold mining. The head of state said that, “according to various estimates from different sources, Russia occupies either second or third place in gold reserves - it doesn’t matter, in any case, one of the leading places,” the Rossiya TV channel reports. “But everyone agrees that there is a significant gap between our potential capabilities and the real situation,” V. Putin noted.

“It is important for us to develop a legal, financial and economic model for the development of domestic gold mining, which will ensure sustainable growth through the development of new ore deposits, by increasing the efficiency of using the industry’s potential,” the president believes. As V. Putin believes, it is necessary to “develop a set of measures to stimulate prospecting and geological exploration activities.” The head of state also called for creating conditions for attracting private investment to geological exploration.

V. Putin emphasized that the meeting should discuss possible, including tax, measures to increase the profitability of the development of remote fields.

In turn, the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Yuri Trutnev, said today that the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation is in favor of allowing individuals to participate in gold mining. Yu. Trutnev also reported that in 2005. In Russia, 168 tons of gold will be mined worth 3 billion rubles, the Mayak radio station reports. According to the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources, by 2015. gold production should be increased to 250 tons.

V. Putin advocates reducing VAT when purchasing gold