29 Apr 2020 16:27

British ambassador calls on govt to support foreign-owned companies in Russia

MOSCOW. April 29 (Interfax) - The British embassy in Moscow will urge the Russian authorities to provide government support to foreign-owned companies.

"We're aware that there's concern about unfair treatment toward some foreign-owned companies. This is something we're looking at, and we're looking at raising this with the authorities in order to press them to make sure that the support that's available is available for everyone," British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert said during the Russo British Chamber of Commerce webinar.

Bronnert said she has discussed the issue with other foreign ambassadors to Russia, and they expressed similar concerns.

AmCham CEO Alexis Rodzianko told Interfax earlier that the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) has asked the Russian government to make measures of small business support implemented amid the coronavirus pandemic available to foreign-owned companies.

According to Rodzianko, due to lack of support, such companies are unable to keep their staff, "i.e., jobs in Russia."

The Russian government and the Central Bank are offering salary loans to small and micro-businesses. According to the terms of the state program, companies can borrow funds for a period of up to 12 months at no interest rate for the first six months and at a 4% rate of interest for the rest of the period.