MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called for equal conditions for Russian and foreign investors.
According to him, all investors must receive "equally attractive conditions," should be "equally respected" and that "the same requirements to comply with Russian laws — both administrative and tax and labor laws," should apply to all investors.
"I think this is such a common framework that is convenient for everyone: applying the national regime to any investment," Medvedev said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Foreign Investment Advisory Council (FIAC) in Russia.
The prime minister recalled that earlier, in the 1990s, the Russian authorities proceeded from the fact that priority should be given to foreign investors, since they have more opportunities and money, and also because they can bring a new economic culture to the country.
"Of course, now we have a different approach," he stressed.
Medvedev noted that in recent years, the economic situation has changed dramatically and all kinds of barriers and trade wars have been exacerbating investment conditions.
The Russian prime minister claimed that predictable policies and a good business climate are the only possible ways to convince investors to invest in the Russian economy.
"We are trying to demonstrate all this. I am not saying that everything works perfectly. There might be some problems. Nevertheless, we are trying to create predictable conditions for a long period," he stated.
The head of the cabinet stressed that once the government changes a certain tax payment, no retroactive effect should be possible so that companies can get used to this policy.
"If we change tax legislation, if we change a particular tax or a payment to the budget, then we should not alter it anymore for a long time, for a predictable period. I think this is the best guarantee for investments, both domestic and foreign ones, "Medvedev stressed.