Russian entrepreneurs call on government to intensify reform

Russian entrepreneurs have called on the government to be bolder in implementing the reforms, said Vice-Premier and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.

The majority of businessmen, Kudrin stressed, have backed the government's measures to ease the tax burden and even suggested that they be intensified. Joint efforts in this area will be continued, Kudrin assured.

In his words, the government and businessmen agreed on the need to reduce federal expenditures.

In particular, a famous businessman and Director General of the AO United Machine-Building Plants Kakha Bendukidze suggested that the cabinet completely reject budget financing of such sectors as transport, communications and agriculture.

According to Kudrin, the participants in the meeting were unanimous that in the recent years the rouble had been strengthening at an extremely high pace, and that the inflation rate was still too high.