Fair taxes, a mysterious rate and government pasta
Russia has recorded a record level of social optimism, said Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin during a session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). And this despite the soaring level of debt among the population, the seizure of businessmen’s assets into state ownership and the reduction of preferential mortgage programs. On the one hand, this is certainly an achievement, on the other hand, it is a great responsibility for the government. Will the financial and economic bloc be able to maintain its momentum and not lose the trust of citizens?
The same people, only new ones. At a forum in St. Petersburg, newly appointed officials and “old” officials discussed the macroeconomic present and future of Russia.
«A good shepherd shears his sheep, but does not skin them,» the Roman Emperor Tiberius once said. With these words, the session moderator, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes Andrei Makarov concluded the session devoted to improving the tax system.
The discussion itself took place under the slogan: “Fairness, balance, stability” (FSS). Although it is difficult to call it a discussion — the speakers, rather, echoed each other. If we summarize their statements, the following conclusion can be drawn: the rich will pay more, and the poor will pay less; whoever invests more gets more deductions; 98% of the population and small businesses will not be affected by the changes; The self-employed, as they promised not to touch for 10 years, are still not touching.
The absolute majority of Russians (76%) consider it fair and support the introduction of a five-step progressive personal income tax scale, said the head of VTsIOM Valery Fedorov. “The demand for justice is primary, priority, even much more important than balance and stability,” he added. The second figure is 85%. So many respondents consider “social cashback” (“return of 7 out of 13% of overpaid taxes for families with two or more children” for certain incomes) “correct, timely and fair,” Fedorov said.
“These two elements settings (five-step personal income tax scale and cashback) of the current tax changes are the most important for people in general,” he noted.
It turns out that people are completely satisfied with the changes. But, I wonder what the funds raised will be used for? According to the head of the Ministry of Finance Anton Siluanov, the state will not put additional budget revenues of the Russian Federation from tax changes into a “box”: all the money received will be used. Earlier, during parliamentary hearings in the State Duma, he said that additional fees as a result of tax changes will be aimed, among other things, at equalizing the socio-economic situation of subjects through interbudgetary transfers from the federal budget.
As for the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Elvira Nabiullina, Andrei Makarov asked her to set KPIs for herself for the next year. To which Nabiullina replied that the main goal is to achieve and maintain inflation at 4%. Makarov didn’t believe it (which is not surprising, today inflation is above 8%) and decided to clarify: “Did you think well?” The Chairman of the Central Bank did not change the forecast and answered affirmatively: “Okay.”
Her words were heard. “I thought that tomorrow the rate would remain the same, but when I heard that Elvira Sakhipzadovna decided to bring inflation to 4% next year, I realized that the rate would probably rise tomorrow,” said Andrei Kostin, head of a large state bank.
Indeed, everyone present within the walls of the St. Petersburg ExpoForum was worried about the future of the key rate, which the Central Bank will announce on June 7. But people are eager to know the specific figure today. Before the macroeconomic session had finished, guests and participants rushed to Nabiullina for details of tomorrow’s meeting of the board of the Bank of Russia. She was laconic: “It’s a week of silence.” Let us remind you that the Central Bank can raise the rate from 16% to 17%. Just last month, financial experts said there was no reason for this. However, the latest data on inflation expectations and lending dynamics forced many to change the forecast.
But if the head of the Central Bank did not say anything unnecessary, the moderator of the conversation Andrei Makarov did not hesitate in his statements and formulations, often putting the speakers in very high regard. delicate situation. In particular, he asked whether the authorities planned to produce “state pasta” after the nationalization of Makfa and “what to do with the Civil Code” in the case of the seizure of shares from bona fide acquirers of the Solikamsk Magnesium Plant. Makarov also noted with his characteristic humor that he was well aware that “the prosecutor’s office stand is getting closer to the conference room” and the possible consequences of this.
Anton Siluanov couldn’t even restrain himself: “Why are you asking such questions?” . However, he did give an answer, but only from a budget point of view. He said that the nationalized assets are planned to be sold: “Don’t hold, don’t manage, we don’t need such a state economy.”