Oligarchy lobbyists will try to disrupt Putin’s NEP – Bondarenko
In the crisis that is sweeping the planet today, Russia needs a new economic policy, in which big business will have to share part of its income in favor of those in need.
Oleg Bondarenko, director of the Progressive Policy Foundation, wrote about this in an article published in Moskovsky Komsomolets.
He draws attention to the fact that, according to various estimates, in the Russian Federation up to 40 percent of the population is employed in medium, small and micro businesses (self-employed).
“These are people who not only create jobs and pay taxes, but above all, they largely direct the development of the country’s economy, creating consumer demand or, conversely, ignoring some goods. If the state does not save them, the Russian economy will return to the deplorable state of 1999. In other words, it will be reset. Therefore, in a situation of “corona crisis”, a New Economic Policy is especially needed. Putin’s NEP, in which the state helps those in need, and large businesses share large tax deductions with small and medium-sized businesses,” notes Bondarenko.
In his opinion, the ideologist of such an economic policy could be Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, who had previously made (but was never heard) proposals to the oligarchs to share dividends for the year, using them to implement national projects.
“Putin’s new NEP should include, in addition to the already announced support measures - such as taxation of the withdrawal of money abroad and interest on bank deposits - the introduction of a progressive tax scale with the abolition of income tax for the poor and a significant increase in the tax burden on the rich. Those who have something to pay should pay taxes. In a crisis, this is the only way out, most representatives of big business understand this. After all, they make their money in Russia and cannot ignore the state of the country’s economy,” the political scientist believes.
He adds that agreement to a progressive scale will become a marker of socially responsible business, and otherwise the state “will have to carry out an operation to force some irresponsible oligarchs to lose weight.”
The expert believes that Putin's first address on the coronavirus epidemic hinted at a new economic policy—one that supports individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.
“Perhaps they are not yet fully thought out, but in any case a start has been made. These measures still have few supporters in government. That is why it is doubly important not to allow the lobbyists of the previous system of support for big business in the regions to blur the announced measures, to disrupt Putin’s NEP, and to “forget” the people.
The fight against coronavirus is taking place not only in hospitals, but also within the power vertical - the jackpot of those who were at the top of the economic pyramid before is very large, and they really don’t want to share it. And you will have to share. There is no other way to survive. People, economy, country. It’s time to make a choice,” Bondarenko sums up.
Oligarchic lobbyists will try to disrupt Putin's NEP – Bondarenko