President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev: “We have set the goal to reach 30% share in GRP of small and medium business by 2010”

Unless today’s global economic crunch, Gross Regional Product (GRP) of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2009 could reach 1 billion rubles. It was declared today at the opening of International Forum “Development of innovative space of CIS. Role and place of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of CIS states” by Mintimer Shaimiev - President of the Republic of Tatarstan.

We must remind that the Forum takes place in Kazan – capital of Tatarstan (“Korston”). It was organized by Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia, Government of the Republic of Tatarstan and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tatarstan.

Among participants of the Event the following people are present: Plenipotentiary Representative of the RF President in Volga Region (PVR) Grigory Rapota, President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation Evgeny Primakov, Prime Minister of the RT Rustam Minnikhanov, and others.

When taking the floor with welcoming speech, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev noticed that in 2008, GRP has reached 930 bln. rubles. Last year, investments in fixed capital exceeded 268 bln. rubles.

At present, about 800 enterprises with foreign investments work on the territory of the Republic, and 126 enterprises among them – with business participation of CIS countries.

In 2008, foreign trade turnover in Tatarstan made up 21,3 bln. USD, including 2,8 bln. USD that fell at CIS countries.

“We have focused on innovation economy, - Mintimer Shaimiev said. – This is our strategic choice.”

According to his words, the efforts must be taken to perform profound oil processing and to step away from export-oriented economy.

In the following 30 years, Tatarstan will extract 30 mln. tons per year, as President told today. Today out of 30-32 mln. tons of oil, we process only 7 mln. tons, and we are not satisfied with this situation, - he said. Realization of project Unit of Petrochemical and Oil-processing Plants in Nizhnekamsk will allow increasing volumes of processed hydrocarbon by 7 mln. tons more. Every day settling of the Unit construction takes 60 mln. rubles. Mintimer Shaimiev also informed that recent decision on doubling volumes for oil processing within the frames of the Unit construction – one more plant is being built. Thus, in near future Tatarstan will be able to process 21 mln. tons of oil per year.

When talking about support of small and medium sized businesses in the Republic, Mintimer Shaimiev had marked the following: Tatarstan has set the goal to reach up to 30% GRP by 2010.

 Another point of Tatarstan economy growth is the development of Special Economic Zone “Alabuga”, where 8 residents are already registered, and two of them have already started its production (including the company “Sollers Elabuga”).

President of the Republic of Tatarstan thinks that innovative component should become long-term priority in the development of Tatarstan.

Plenary meetings of International Forum “Development of innovative space of CIS. Role and place of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of CIS countries” was lead by Rustam Minnikhanov - the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The following key persons took the floor during the Forum: S. Lebedev – Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of CIS, T. Mansurov – Director General of Eurasian Economic Community, E. Kozhasbai – President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kazakhstan, I. Igoshin – Deputy Chairman of the Committee of State Duma in Russia on Science and Science-intensive Technologies, V. Muntiyan – Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, I.Bortnik - Chairman of the Council of the Foundation for Assistance into small science-intensive enterprises.