Alexey Kudrin, the Council Chairman of the Center for Strategic Research acted as the moderator of this discussion. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Victor Tolokonsky, the Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, Anatoly Artamonov, the Governor of the Kaluga region, Sergey Morozov, the Governor of the Ulyanovsk region, Alexander Tsybulsky, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and others took part in the work as well.
Within the subject the discussants were concentrated on the question what purposes of new regional policy should be like, whether it is possible to find the balance between staking on the strong regions and support the ones lagging behind, whether the regions have enough full powers, incentives and resources for their development.
Rustam Minnikhanov noted in his speech that in difficult modern economic conditions ensuring replenishment and balance of regional and local budgets is the top priority. The efficiency of repayment of expenditure commitments and ensuring a worthy living standard of citizens depend on it.
According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the alignment of social and economic development levels in the regions shouldn't come down to a formal reassignment of funds.
As noted by Anatoly Artamonov, the Governor of the Kaluga region, the development of regional policy in Russia is ongoing, and from the point of view of heads of subjects the changes happening in it are estimated in different ways. It is vital that these changes promote the increasing interest of the regions in fostering their own economy, attraction of investments, increase in profits tax base.
“My firm belief is that motivation, confidence should constantly be in the air, because when you first make something at your own place, then enrich it, finally you surely gain additional opportunities to solve these or those tasks, which depend on the level of your own budgetary financing”, emphasized the Head of the region.
Alexander Tsybulsky, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, noticed that this year the number of grants for encouragement of the best country subjects in Russia in the efficiency assessment rating of executive authorities’ activity is increased. 20 billion rubles will be allocated for these purposes from the federal budget.