Plenary session of the forum «Investment potential of the Republic of Tatarstan»

Plenary session of the forum «Investment potential of the Republic of Tatarstan» has been held today within the framework of International investment forum «Russian regions – strategies of growth».

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev, RF Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref and the President of the European Bank for reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre participated in it. This event was timed to business forum and annual meeting of the EBRD Board of Governors.

RT Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov greeted participants and indicated that the event organizers set a task to present investment and industrial potential of Tatarstan at a whole. «We tried to create maximally favorable conditions for free communication within the framework of the forum. Roundtable discussions will be organized»,- he said.

«I am glad to greet the heads of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, representatives of delegations, heads and experts of RF state government bodies, municipalities, businessmen from over 60 countries of the world», – Mintimer Shaimiev stated in his address. He called Tatarstan one of the rapidly developing Russian regions where the program-addressed approach to government is the base of economic growth.

According to his words, Tatarstan authorities see their task in increasing competitiveness of the republican economy and the population’s standard of living. M. Shaimiev emphasized that many developed countries of the world show interest to the economic potential of RT, for instance, enterprises of China, South Korea, and Germany are going to set up their manufactures on the territory of SEZ «Alabuga».

«Tatarstan stable development is based on successful experience of developing tolerant international and inter-confessional interrelations. Islam and Christianity co-exist harmoniously in the republic, - he pointed out. – We found an organic formula for developing interrelations with the federal centre; it has been called «Model of Tatarstan».

«Republic has ripened and owns everything that is necessary for competitive development on the base of science-intensive and hi-tech manufactures. We wish all participants success and you are welcome to cooperate with our republic!»,- Mintimer Shaimiev concluded.

The President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jean Lemierre indicated that history and culture of Tatarstan is of much importance for the EBRD representatives. Besides, in his opinion, it is very important that RF Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref takes part in today’s meeting. «It is very significant for us to understand what is going on in Russian regions and, first of all, in Tatarstan. Russia changes rapidly; and Tatarstan is a fascinating example of what changes take place in the country, - Mr Lemierre expressed his opinion. – Today’s forum is not just a desire to organize meetings, but a kind of obligations that Tatarstan undertakes for Russian and foreign investors. Not only high standards of friendship, but also requirements of legal transparency should be met». Mr Lemierre also noted that the EBRD plans to cooperate not only with Tatarstan enterprises, but also with municipal formations and banks. He shared his impressions from the meeting with Kazan State University students who are «very valuable asset, youth that is ready for changes». «We would like our obligations to turn into specific deeds»,- Jean Lemierre emphasized.

Russia Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref greeted the participants of the forum and emphasized that Russia has stepped into a new period of investment growth. According to his words, the structure of the state profits resources has considerably changed in recent years. Consumers’ boom connected with increase of the population’s profits has happened. Talking about Tatarstan, he emphasized that it is our republic where the first techno-parks, business-incubators, and investment-venture funds appeared. He expressed words of gratitude to Mintimer Shaimiev for holding events within the framework of the EBRD annual summit. He also called potential investors for cooperation and guaranteed assistance and support.

RT Minister of Trade and External Economic Collaboration Khafiz Salikhov, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin and many others made reports on the session.

At the press conference, which was held after investment forum’s plenary session, Tatarstan President, Minitimer Shaimiev, characterized the Tatarstan’s investment opportunities, which were presented during the forum “Russian regions – the strategies of the growth”, as “the beginning of a big way”.

“Very important is that the EBRD is the closest bank to the people”, said Minitimer Shaimiev. He cited as an example credit agreement, which was signed by the EBRD’s President, Jean Lemierre, Kazan Mayor, Ilsur Metshin, and “Vodokanal” Director, Nail Zamaleev. According to the agreement, the European bank will give credit of 10 million Euros for Kazan water-supply’s modernization program.

“All over Russia we talk about big investments and big projects. We used to this in the conditions of the plan system, when there were big buildings all over the country, - noticed Mintimer Shaimiev. – We still don’t know how to credit an ordinary person, how to teach our citizens to live on the credits. Though, the entire world is doing this”.

According to him, citizens of our country “hardly change their mentality”. “We offer good conditions of the credits, especially in the villages. But people are still very careful with the credits”, pointed out Republican President.

“We didn’t manage yet to follow the path of market economy, to be part of the world’s financial mechanisms. But we are learning from you, - said Tatrstan President to Jean Lemierre. – In this case your bank is as a school, especially for Post-Soviet territories. We have to know the financial mechanism of working with not only big but also with small finances. You are bringing knowledge. That is very important mission of your bank. And we need it very much”.

Talking about attracting of investment to the Republican economy, Mintimer Shaimiev pointed out: “We think that we are becoming more and more attractive. And as it was noticed during the forum, we never had let down the investors we had worked with”.