MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has announced plans to temporarily restrict foreign business from withdrawing from Russian assets.
"Given the current sanctions climate, foreign entrepreneurs are forced to take decisions under political pressure instead of being guided by economic factors. A presidential decree has been drafted on imposing temporary restrictions on the withdrawal from Russian assets in a move to provide business with an opportunity to make balanced decisions," he said at a meeting focused on the economic situation on Tuesday.
"We expect those who has invested in our country, to be able to continue working here. I am confident that the sanctions pressure will eventually subside, and those who will win, will be those choosing not to scrap their projects in this country or succumb to the slogans of foreign politicians," Mishustin noted.
The Russian government has actively supported localization in recent years, trying to attract both producers of end products and linked industries to the country to increase output of components at domestic enterprise facilities, Mishustin said, adding that the authorities are open to dialogue with constructive-minded investors. "We still consider foreign business as potential partners," he said.
Many foreign companies have long and successfully been working on the Russian market. They established production with well-paying jobs, and invested resources, effort and time into their projects to bring them to full capacity, and established logistics chains, the Russian PM noted. "Their goods are demanded both in our country and abroad," he stressed. The premier cautioned that "getting out of the market is easy, but returning to a place that is already heavily occupied by competitors is much more difficult."
Overall, Mishustin estimated "the situation related to various external restrictions [is] not simple." "An increasing number of Russian companies have come under various sanctions. It is extremely important to support them. All decisions on them are eventually aimed at helping thousands of our citizens employed in such companies," he concluded.