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Half of Russia’s employable population employed in shadow economic sector – minister

“Now, our labour market is practically illegitimate," Olga Golodets believes

MOSCOW, April 3 (Itar-Tass) – Half of Russia’s employable population are engaged in the shadow sector of the economy, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets said on Wednesday.

“Now, our labour market is practically illegitimate, with only a tiny sector functioning under normal rules,” she told a conference at the Higher School of Economics. In her words, some 86 million people are employed in various economic sectors, of which only 48 million are employed in legitimate businesses. “We do not understand where and how the rest are employed,” she stressed.

The walloping shadow sector is fraught with serious tax gaps, she added.