Mintimer Shaimiev: «There should be no justification for lobbyism»

President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev in interview to agency "Interfax" shared his thoughts on the problem of lobbyism in Russia.

Mintimer Sharipovich, the international exhibition of aerospace technologies and equipment takes place in Kazan these days. Leading Russian and overseas companies engaged in developments in this field take part in it. A contrast meanwhile, between what is presented by the Russian manufacturers and foreign ones is striking. Really, is it all that bad?

M.Sh: Unfortunately, it is so. At this exhibition yesterday's achievements of our aviation industry are presented to a greater extent than the modern ones. It leaves the hardest feeling of resentment, especially while listening to people who have the most direct relation to this field. I mean the heads of the state science centres, particularly such as the Central Aero hydrodynamic institute of N.E.Zhukovsky, Central Institute of Avia Motor building of P.I.Baranov or the All-Russia institute of aviation motor building.

Yet not so long ago a competitive production has been developed in the country and not only the best in the world military planes, but also famous civil planes were under construction. However, for last fifteen years the situation in civil aircraft construction has so worsened, that today without any stretch it can be called catastrophic. It is not simply about aircraft construction, as a branch. Russia is threatened with a serious gap, perhaps, even irreparable, regarding the development of high technologies. Since this branch is closely connected to production of alloys and materials for glider and engines of airplanes, electronic components and other hi-tech equipment.

Today many exemplify the experience of Brazilian avia-constructing company Embraer as an example. Certainly, this experience is worth praising, in the sense that Brazilians managed to set up a production of competitive planes. But Brazil completes planes due to supplies from all over the world, i.e. the development of technologies is a prerogative of countries-suppliers. For Russia with its potential such approach cannot be acceptable, and we cannot depend on foreign suppliers, on someone's whims or on a political conjuncture.

A vivid example to that is the only project in civil aviation which is realized by Russian avia-corporation “Sukhoi", on creating middle range planes of RRJ type with participation of several foreign companies. Introduction of sanctions by the USA towards this company has made its realization questionable. Moreover, last three-four years this project was exclusively lobbied, and all the others were simply ignored and suspended.

Unrestrained lobbyism which took place in airlines and aviation industry for last decades has almost ruined Russian aircraft construction, and today we are no longer capable to manage without purchases of planes produced abroad. All these years we tried to draw attention to this acute problem, but the idea that our national aviation industry is not capable to produce anything suitable and competitive has been constantly implanted into public consciousness. As a result, lobbyists can celebrate a victory; they have practically reached their goal. Civil aircraft construction is at its last gasp, it has led to loss of highly professional staff, and this loss in many cases is difficult to make up for.

Therefore the further retardation of the problem will only aggravate the situation and incommensurably increase spending on revival of this strategic branch.

At the same time, although the situation is catastrophic, it is still not absolutely hopeless. Not everything is lost yet, and it is necessary to show a political will at the state level and to allocate not relative, but sufficient means from the budget for reviving domestic aircraft construction. This is the protection of interests of the state, and we have no right to lose a locomotive of high technologies forever. Such a locomotive is aircraft construction.

There are few states in the world capable to make aircrafts, and we should appreciate our achievements in this field and augment them because it contributes to strengthening the sovereignty of the Russian Federation.

Even with a delay and with a huge omission, but for the sake of the future of our country, for the sake of its power it is necessary to urgently accept the national program on revival of domestic civil aircraft.

You spoke about negative influence of lobbyism in aviation industry. And what is happening in other branches, say, in sphere of agricultural production?

М.Sh: Analysis of the situation leads to sad reflections. Certainly, a huge satisfaction in regions was entailed by the offer of the head of the state on national project in agrarian and industrial complex. But I am extremely worried that lobbyism may win our good aspirations here as well. The problem is that if existing policy on uncontrollable import of foodstuffs continues, implementation of this national project will appear rather problematic.

From 2000 to 2005, import of meat to Russia has doubled: from 1 800 000 to 2 580 000. It is about the same with import of fowl and dairy products. Not denying the necessity of foodstuffs delivery from abroad as consumer demand is growing in the country, at the same time it is necessary to increase production of domestic output, thus providing food safety of the country in the future. Especially as the national project declared by the head of the state creates qualitative conditions for industrialization and introduction of high technologies in agrarian and industrial complex. At appropriate work in the country there are all opportunities to fulfill needs for fowl in the nearest two years, and in four-five years - for pork, and later on for beef.

Presently construction of advanced cattle-breeding complexes is underway in the republic; high technologies are introduced in plant cultivation. We should, in a priority order, support our agricultural producer, instead of investing in a foreign one.

During the process of stimulating a domestic commodity producer, the main role is played by the state policy on regulating import of foodstuffs, but here we come across lobbyism which is invincible for the time being. The lobbyist, after all, does not have to neither sow, nor to plough, it is enough for him to sit in the quiet of his cozy cabinet and receive enormous profits, thus depriving millions rural workers of stimulus for effective work.

In the end, it is a question of well-being of entire Russia because the land is the main wealth, and the people working on it, should receive worthy salary for their hard work.

I consider the situation when ones are involved in agriculture, and others regulate the rules of foodstuffs import as intolerant. The decisions on this issue should be taken directly by those who are responsible for national project in agriculture. Otherwise, all good aspirations may disappear together with capital investments made by the state in rural areas within the framework of national project.