ST PETERSBURG, July 24. /TASS/. McDonald’s chain of fast food restaurants has not been put on the list of the most influential companies domiciled in the Russian second-largest city of St. Petersburg, Deputy Governor Sergey Movchan told reporters on Friday.
The city authorities have completed work on the list with over 100 companies that wield the biggest influence on regional economic growth, to which the city will provide prompt support if necessary. But the support does not mean allocations of budget money, he said.
"There were hot debates and as far as I remember, at the commission’s latest session we practically finalised the list of such companies," Movchan said. "There were also debates with regard to McDonald’s but it did not enter the final edition."
The document was submitted to St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko, he said.
Earlier, the chairwoman of the city’s committee for economic policy and strategic planning, Yelena Ulyanova, told TASS that 128 companies were included on the list, including car makers, the Lenta retailer and McDonald’s as an option.
"If the chain leaves, the city will feel it," she said adding the McDonald’s fast food restaurants employ 8,000 residents of St. Petersburg.