Minerals in Russia will not be nationalised

The Russian government does not plan to nationalise the minerals and does not consider at the present time any draft laws on this score.

Deputy head of the Russian government's apparatus Alexei Volin told reporters about it on Friday.

He underscored that the Cabinet of Ministers proceeds from the necessity of preserving the existing conditions of the work of the companies which extract minerals.

In his opinion, various draft laws concerning the regulation of the use of the bowels of the earth, now being discussed by experts in the mass media, cannot have anything to do with the projects and agreements in force. "In any case, the conditions of the work of the companies cannot worsen," underscored the official spokesman for the government.

As was pointed out by Alexei Volin, all these years the government has shown that any changes in the rules of the game on the market are only for the better of its participants. This concerns both the Russian business quarters and foreign investors.

The deputy head of the government's apparatus said that no documents of this kind were received by the Cabinet of Ministers. At any rate, he reminded the reporters, such documents must first of all be examined by experts in appropriate ministries and government departments.