MOSCOW, April 7 (RAPSI) – Russia’s business ombudsman Boris Titov believes businesses are to be allowed to put employees on indefinite leaves to be paid monthly statutory minimum wages by the state in order to save jobs.

The ombudsman has formulated this initiative and a number of other measures aimed at changing the regulation of the economy in the time of the crisis he has elaborated as a result of a massive survey of businesses across the country regions in his letter addressed Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Among the proposed measures is a significant extension of the list of enterprises affected by the coronavirus disease in need of support beyond the range set forth by the governmental commission on higher sustainability of the economy, which businesses believe to be too narrow.

In particular, it is proposed to put on the list retailers and wholesalers trading in non-food products, automobile passenger transportation organizations, public utilities, private dentists, automobile maintenance centers, and firms engaged in repairs of electronic goods.

The letter also contains proposals as broadening of practices to make advance payments under state procurement contracts with small and midsized businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs, as well as to lower requirements to be met by such economic agents when making state contracts. Those failing to meet their obligations under state procurement contracts because of the pandemic are not to be hold responsible, the document reads.

Titov is of the opinion that the range of enterprises allowed to operate in the current situation is to be clarified at the governmental level, since businesses still encounter problems in this respect.

Besides, the business ombudsman finds it feasible to restore certain tax regulations permitting businesses to choose their tax bases in order to prevent creation of unjustified tax liabilities in the situation of the pandemic, as well as to permit small and midsize businesses under special tax treatments not to pay any taxes for at least three years, to launch tax amnesty program in their respect, and moderate pretrial restrictive measures so to exclude detention of those charged with crimes in the sphere of business and other economic activities.

The ombudsman’s press service says that Titov’s office has launched weekly monitoring of the situation at the regional level and timely collection of proposals put forward by businesses with regard to the current situation.