Zee Beam News

Sep. 28, 2007 - Kommersant - Corrupt practices have become of greater concern for Russia’s business. In 2000, for instance, 25.1 percent of entrepreneurs thought bribe-taking serious and very serious problems for business advance, but the number has stepped up to 32.8 percent this year, Vedomosti reported with reference to the poll held by Andrey Yakovlev from Higher Economy School and Timothy Frye from Columbia University. High tax rates worry 57.7 percent of today’s respondents vs. 81.7 percent seven years ago. Moreover, the business isn’t very happy about frequent changes in laws and difficulties en route to getting the credits. At the same time, the share of those agitated because of the government’s interference in business, including control over prices, is gradually narrowing. The number of businessmen, for whom lobbying practices appear quite acceptable shed from 69 percent to 59 percent. The good news is that 77 percent of polled businessmen fund social facilities in addition to paying taxes. The Yakovlev-Frye survey covered 500 representatives of business community of Russia.