Published: January 29th, 2016

January 19, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held a private meeting with representatives of the government apparatus and members of the Stolypin club, among whom was a business ombudsman Boris Titov. The main topic of discussion was the economic crisis and the possibility of overcoming it. Following the meeting, Dmitry Medvedev ordered the creation of an interdepartmental group which task will be to develop a program of economic growth.

The group will include officials not lesser than the rank of Deputy Minister, experts of Stolypin club and Analytical Center of the Government, as well as independent experts. The information about the meeting and establishment of a working group was confirmed to "Izvestia"at the Analytical Center of the Government, as well as in the apparatus of the business ombudsman.

It is planned that this working group will develop a new state policy to overcome the economic crisis. The main focus of “the economy of growth" is expected to be the reduction of the key rate of the Central Bank, as well as the creation of an optimal system of refinancing of banks.

A key task of the working group will be the development of an anti-crisis program, which will be based on the program by Stolypin club "The economy of growth." According to the staff of the business ombudsman, despite the fact that this program has previously been criticized by some representatives of the expert community, Dmitry Medvedev got acquainted with the project and interested in the list of measures which, according to the experts, will be able to turn the crisis into economic growth.

– Work on the program "Economy of Growth" was carried out over a year. We took into account international experience, the results of large-scale surveys of entrepreneurs, evaluation of the main factors hampering the development of non-oil sector, and the general expert comments. The result was the adoption of the program at the level of Stolypin Club – the head of the center of expertise at the Office of the business Ombudsman Anastasia Alekhnovich told "Izvestia".

In the program "The Economy of growth” the departure from the principle of austerity with the transition to a policy of stimulating economic growth (based on the monetary advances on investment) and" competitive economy" is being proposed. Also it provides for the measures to promote private initiative of entrepreneurs, priority tech processing companies of raw oligopolies, the transition from manual controls to fine-tune incentives for the development and a transition from "carpet" distribution "benefits" to the real need of targeted support is being proposed.

According to Anastasia Alekhnovich, the initiative to create an interagency working group that will develop a federal program of economic growth, based on the program "The Economy of growth" by Stolypin club was nominated by the representatives of Stolypin club. Participant of the meeting, the business ombudsman Boris Titov said that one of the key proposals of "The Economy of growth" is the outstripping the supply of money to create a business and to provide it with cheap loans. For this purpose, in particular, the sum of 1.5 trillion rubles by the means of the target (related) issue of money used to finance investment projects of production at affordable rates is being proposed.

– The discussion of our recommendations will be carried out at a very serious level. From the executive branch it is to be deputy ministers. We look forward to working constructively within the group and the fact that "The economy of growth" will be embodied in the life - said, "Izvestia" Boris Titov.

The government said that the interaction of government and expert community reaches a new level.

– Over a long period of time, the interaction of officials and experts became a bit fed up with each other. Apparently, the government felt the need of "breath of fresh air" in expert understanding of the situation in the economy. It is not excluded that the meeting of the Prime Minister with the experts of Stolypin Club is a desire for an alternative expert opinion. Of course, we're not talking about the "experts" enthusiastic populism, but the severity of economic problems requires greater involvement of the expert community - explained interlocutor to "Izvestia".

According to the source, the meeting itself and the decision to establish a working group does not mean the change of the vector in the economic policy of the government.

In the Analytical Center of the Government of the Russian Federation it was said to "Izvestia" that at the meeting the initiative of Boris Titov interested Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

– The decision of the prime minister should be enshrined in the relevant instructions, which is just getting ready. As far as we know, the part of the AC in the commission is currently being discussed. So we can not be absolutely confident to be included there, - said the press service of the Analytical Center of the Government of the Russian Federation.

It is worth mentioning that the program by Stolypin club "The economy of growth" was presented by the Russian President's representative authorized to protect the rights of entrepreneurs Boris Titov to the parliament on December 25.

Source: Известия