Mintimer Shaimiev, ‘Tatarstan economy can benefit by Russia’s entering WTO’

A session of RT ministry of economy and industry collegium took place in “Ak Bars” center on January 29. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev took part in the meeting.

Tatarstan Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov and other members of Tatarstan Parliament and Government, workers of RT State Council and RT president Apparatus, deputies of RF State Duma, representatives of federal ministries and departments, heads of municipal districts and regions, heads of major industrial enterprises, banks, higher educational institutions, representatives of small and middle business, members of public organizations were invited to the meeting.

Notwithstanding the fact that annual board of RT ministry of economy and industry had a summarizing character, the theme for more than a four-hour discussion, sounded like this: "Development of productive forces and industrial clasters of RT in 2006 and tasks for 2007". As Rustam Minnikhanov explained at the opening session, economical results of development of republic for the last year as a whole are already familiar to the audience that is why it was decided to devote session to the profound analysis of the location problem of productive forces.

Prime minister noted, that on the whole 2006 was successful for Tatarstan, indexes of the majority of macroeconomic parameters are exceeded, institutions of local government were established, and the number of economically self-sufficient municipal areas increased up to 22.

The first vice PM- minister of economy and industry Boris Pavlov performed the main report - As he said, in 2006 the republic managed to raise competitiveness of the economy and in comparison with 1990 gross regional product has increased in the comparable prices for 11,2 percent, the share of Tatarstan in economy of the entire country has noticeably increased. Besides Boris Pavlov mentioned that, unlike the majority of subjects of the Russian Federation, the increase in population (approximately on 100 thousand person for one and a half decades) was observed, that testifies to growth of life standard in the republic.

Having told about macroeconomic parameters of development of Republic of Tatarstan last year, the first vice-premier in details described the state of affairs in key clasters: extraction of hydrocarbons, mechanical engineering (he mentioned in separate sections of the report motor industry, aviation industry, military-industrial complex), petrochemistry, oil refining, power, food and light industry, agriculture, manufacture of a paper and wood-processing).

Mintimer Shaimiev once again emphasized the importance for the republic of large companies which provide the guaranteed taxable base, and also involve significant investments into the development, and parallel introduction in manufacture of modern technologies. In his opinion, in conditions of Russia’s entering WTO which is expected already in 2008, large enterprises should become "anchor" for all industrial clasters of the republic.

‘I consider, it is more by in intuition at present, that our industry and structure of the industry can profit by introduction into WTO. It will not be easy, but we become cleverer, we possess qualification, which even against our desire, will increase, because we’ll face a situation when it will be necessary to conduct the competitive business, somewhere we shall lose, but on the whole, I believe, it will be the right step,’ - President of Tatarstan emphasized.