Russia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been proper and timely, the executive director of the German Committee on Eastern European Relations said on Wednesday, calling at the same time for more financial support for businesses
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2020) Russia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been proper and timely, the executive director of the German Committee on Eastern European Relations said on Wednesday, calling at the same time for more financial support for businesses.
"Russia reacted ... very promptly and very timely from an epidemiological point of view. I want to confirm that when planes from China were still landing [in Germany], Russia already established control [of the situation], including by measuring temperatures [of people arriving to the country]. A quarantine has been introduced. All this took place very proportionately and in accordance with recommendations of experts," Michael Harms told reporters.
He also hailed the government's decision to transfer the power to implement quarantine measures to the regional level.
"You cannot extend the measures taken in Moscow to Novosibirsk in such a big country as Russia," he said
At the same time, Harms said that despite these positive decisions, there are issues that cause criticism by businesses, including German enterprises in Russia.
"We consider the scale of [the Russian government's support] measures to be completely insufficient ... There is no regulation on a reduced working day, there is no direct financial support for firms, only relief from the tax burden ... This is absolutely not enough in such a crisis, Russia should do much more. Russia has reserves for this," Harms said.
On April 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree extending paid holidays in the country until April 30 to encourage people to stay at home and thereby curb the spread of the disease.
Putin also instructed the federal government, regional authorities, and the Central Bank, to take measures to overcome the inevitable economic fallout from the health crisis. The instructions included ensuring the sustainability of system- and city-forming enterprises and industries, as well as the stability and balance of regional budgets.
In addition, Putin ordered the government to take measures to support small- and medium-sized businesses, and minimize the the pandemic's impact on citizens. Russia's small- and medium-sized businesses are now able to postpone all tax payments except VAT for the next six months, and the share of money taken from their employees' salaries for social security funds has been reduced to 15 percent, provided they make more than the minimum wage.
