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Market Retail Further Declines in Russia, Gref Said
The trend for turnover decline on the markets has survived, Economic Development Minister German Gref told the government. Only 16.9 percent of goods were sold via the markets in the first two months of this year vs. 19.6 percent in 2006.
Gref blamed the drop in the market sales on the new Retail Act and on quotas that the government imposed on certain sectors of retail. So, the way-out is passing a few regulations that will remedy the situation, Gref made clear.
”We should prevent over-control of this sector,” Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov emphasized, calling for reasonable and balanced market regulations. In this respect, the vital thing is to avoid both underestimating and overestimating the role of the government, Fradkov pointed out.
In the end, the cabinet decided to elaborate a ruling spelling out procedures to execute safety passports for retail markets. The initial proposal of Interior Ministry was arranging checkpoints with metal detectors at the market entrance. But the actions lost toughness while the safety passport was agreed on in the government. Agricultural markets, in particular, will have no checkpoints, it was ultimately decided.
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