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Published: January 29th, 2016

My interlocutor is an extraordinary figure. As he claims, "hated by the people because something lathered for himself" and at the same time is a "food for the new feudal lords." Former managing network "Pyaterochka", now - the owner of the retail and restaurant chains, doing business in the EU.

–        What was your first serious business?

–        The first company I registered in 1989, when I was at the institute and worked simultaneously in three places. In 1992 there was one of the first companies to import electronics. With it, I created the first network of shops.

Later the company Grundig appeared in the Russian market.They were one of our shops suppliers. I went there to the position of senior manager. Then I became vice-president of sales and marketing in Russia and the CIS.

–        How did your ties with the "Pyaterochka" came in?

–        I was simply bought. Seven times they made a bid, seven time I refused, but on the eighth the price was so high that I agreed. One of the founders of the "Pyaterochka" Andrei Rogachev, was looking for a person capable of leading the St. Petersburg office. At that time I already knew how to organize the work of the network to 100 stores. Knew how to build logistics.

–        Has it ever happened that your pockets were empty, not a penny?

–        There was a situation when I worked on three jobs for $ 50. But I was self-contained, envied no one.

–        How much in your opinion genuine entrepreneurs are there in Russia today ?

–        Active, willing to risk no more than one percent. In Russia, in a feudal state, their work can not be effective.

THE MYTH OF THE OIL CURSE

–        Oil prices continue to plummet. The dollar and the euro are growing. What's going on with our economy?

–        Nothing unique is happening. The economy had to be built not just parasite directly or indirectly on the riches which we had and which does dose not belong to us. We manage resources, which were won in the bloody wars, starting with Prince Vladimir. Construction of at least some of the economy came with the First Russian Revolution up to 1930. While working at a number of the factories as the first person I saw that there were machines brought from Germany. There were dates on them: 1903, 1911. It was one of the top companies of the industry! Private business in Russia is now effectively dead. We are La Peau de Chagrin  on the economic map of Russia, we are not a full-fledged players. The lords left  us to wipe away their shoes and sometimes catere you so that you just do not  die of hunger.

–        Who is this “You”?

–        I mean the 146 million population counting out four million government officials who stuck to it. You can round them up to ten. Private business exists not because of, but in spite of. We are the colony. The difference between the colony and the raw power is enormous. It is the abyss. To go from raw materials to the raw power of the country, it is necessary to do something. And we are all tied to the cost of a barrel and the cost of the ruble against the currency. Businessmen exist as the operating personnel.

–        Is it really so that our economy is hopeless?

–        We have often used such a thing as oil and gas curse. It does not exist, neither the oil nor the gas! Just the people who were at the helm of the economic past 15 years have been guiding the oil and gas revenues to inflate the budget in the form of a tub, but not the diversification. All these years, manufacturers had to be producing something, there had to be scientific institutions, developmental production. There were none! If you consider the Reserve Fund, we have left the money roughly until mid-2017.

–        Allies will not help us?

–        Russia has only two allies - oil & gas, but not the army and navy. The world is arranged so that all are obliged with something to everybody and all have a responsibility to each other. Once you start quarreling with someone, then automatically the market terminates. We have shushed Europe. And Europe is the main customer for the oil and gas sector. Imagine if Angela Merkel and Barack Obama said to there manufacturers and partners: do not buy there oil and gas. How long are we going to survive this way? Whom are we going to sell to?

–        But we are selling  not only hydrocarbons.

–    Yes, you can still sell weapons. But only if you are a strong country. Over the past 7-8 years, the Russian economy has accidentally flew into the top ten economies, because of highly increased price of oil. And now we are at the level of Venezuela and Iran - the 13th and the 15th economy in the world. Strategic partners for us - Europe, the United States and maybe China. I emphasize "might be, China" because China should still be negotiated with. While we just gave them the territory for free use, which they very skillfully fulfills. China has designated itself as an international factory. And who are we? No one.

FROM WHOM SHOULD WE TAKE AN EXAMPLE? "China has until recently been very miserable country. Look at Japan. It was ruined and had no right even to militarise. Japan and China made it. Even without the acquisition of territory it occurred without any military action. China made itself the international factory, Japan made itself a model of advanced technology."

–        What do You suggest?

–        Construction of the Russian state - is a personal challenge for each. For the construction of ones small kitchen or bathroom we draw the plan and demand its execution. Why, with the construction of the state, we throw in a paper in a ballot box for some mythical Vasya or Peter, and we believe that now it is his problem? In order for us to begin to receive income from other resources heavy and long-term work of everyone is needed. I appeal to the fact that everyone - no matter who you are, a doctor or anyone else – has to be engaged in the construction of the Russian state. Otherwise, someone else build it for you.

–        How do you build a state, if you are not a state person?

–    Start with those functions that you get from the state. You get some services from the state. They are often of poor quality. Well compel the officials to work in every way possible!

THE SANATION OF THE ELITES IS NEEDED

–        They are trying to comfort us by saying that we will manage through this year for sure ... 

–        The fact that the state's economy is managing through a new year does not mean the same for all its citizens. There are a critical threshold for everyone. In 2016, savings will be eaten away by those who had them. And for those who had not the year will be difficult.

We will face new fees, new taxes.

–        What do you need to change the situation in the economy?

–        Sanation of the elites. It is necessary to hold open trials, confiscate illegally acquired by corruption assets and property. This is the only chance. Moreover, under the elite, I am not referring to those who are at the bottom of the food chain. Not ordinary businessmen, but those who go to the highest gatherings.
Recovery is not possible without political changes that pull a economic recovery. The Policy is smeared in the economy. The people who are able to become a traitor to there class, that must jail its inner circle as in South Korea, for example, must come to power. But it will not happen. It is is unrealistic for Russia.

–        What is happening to the import substitution, such as vegetables, fruits?

–        Imports fell by 38%, while production grew by only 3.6%. Indeed, imports replace imports. It is clear that we can use other suppliers, for example, to buy mandarins in Morocco. But the volume grown in Morocco, not so big to replace suppliers who fell under the sanctions. As a result, there is a replacement of mandarines to clementines, but it's a different fruit, but also yellow. Spanish producers usually leave leaves on mandarins. It is as if their brand name, but now the Spanish businessmen decided to just pick off the leaves, then mandarins are sent to Serbia to repackaging, and they enter the territory of the Russian Federation as a Serbian.

–        The Belarus is In the best position in this regard.

–        Last year, it was among the ten largest suppliers of food products in our country. This has not happened ever before. What suddenly changed? Whereby Belarus has achieved such a result? It recently grew the pineapple and papaya ... We have to buy the same import, but with other documents. We raised the Belarusian economy! Papaya, pineapple, salmon, shrimp ... There is just thrashing documents. Maybe it was necessary to introduce a "tax on Belarus"? Officially deduct from the salary of Russians not 40 but 50%. I would like to look at how our citizens react.

I celebrated the New Year in Germany and took photos of the ordinary village shop. Comparing the range of fruit and vegetables there with Russian hypermarkets, which I am purchasing in, I can tell that the difference is colossal. Of course, you can live on five products, but I think we do not deserve such a fate.

Elena Polovceva

Source: Мир Новостей