MOSCOW, December 28 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights Boris Titov has presented his proposals to extend and expand the set of measures aimed at the anti-crisis support of businesses to the President Vladimir Putin, according to the Business Ombudsman’s press service.

The President noted that the Government is deliberating what else may to be done to support small businesses.

The support measures already undertaken have helped many enterprises to continue their operations and slow down the general deterioration of the economic dynamics in the country. Nevertheless, not all businesses affected by the pandemic could receive state support, whereas COVID-19 is still here in spite of earlier expectations, what causes further stress on the economy, Titov said.

The Business Rights Commissioner believes a set of measures including the extension of subsidies to small and medium-sized businesses that had to stop their operations by decisions of regional authorities so they could pay minimum wages and salaries in June, July, and next months of 2020; extension of exempts from paying back cheap loans provided to businesses retaining not less than 80% of their staffs and cuts by 50 percent of the amounts owed for those retaining 70% of their employees for renewing their operations.

Yet another necessary measure, Titov observed, is the write-off of all tax and insurance payments arrears, as well as of arrears related to respective penalties and fines for certain small and medium-sized businesses.

According to the results of a poll among entrepreneurs cited by the Business Ombudsman, 57.7% of the respondents said their proceeds fell down by 30% and more, over 59% believe a massive exodus of companies from their sector of the market has already begun or will begin next January, 76.9% think that the probability their companies will survive new lockdowns is below 50%.