ST. PETERSBURG, November 10 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian patrons and supporters should enjoy tax exemption as soon as possible, CEO of Russian Railroads Company Vladimir Yakunin said at the First St. Petersburg International Culture Forum addressing to Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko.
He said that nowadays Russia is “the only country, where charity pays taxes fully, as if it is a commercial organisation.” As an example, he spoke about a situation, where if supporters buy a railway ticket for a child, the latter has to pay an income tax of 13 percent for the ticket. Yakunin said one of fears to adopt the law is that businesses may start using it illegally, but Yakunin is sure all fears of the kind are groundless, as “people who sympathise with children, simply cannot be thieves.”
“The topic you are raising is very correct, and people of the arts had been speaking about it for many years now,” Matviyenko said in reply. At the same time, she confirmed the situation had changed. “The State Duma has received a bill on charity,” she said. “I promise, that personally I, as well as the Ministry of Culture and the State Duma are your absolute allies. We shall try to do everything possible to have this law adopted as soon as possible.”