Businesses and regions criticized the initiative to tighten the rules of priority development zones and special economic zones

Business and regional leaders criticized the Ministry of Finance’s proposal to adjust the conditions for receiving benefits in preferential regimes, such as special economic zones (SEZs) and priority development territories (ASEZs). The financial department proposed limiting the amount of direct and tax subsidies to the amount of actual investments, as well as establishing KPIs for companies. The bill was criticized by the State Council Commission on Economics and Finance (representing the generally consolidated position of the regions) and by Business Russia. Vedomosti has negative opinions on the bill, signed by the chairman of the commission, the governor of the Chelyabinsk region, Alexei Teksler, as well as the vice-president of the business association, Nonna Kagramyan. The Ministry of Finance did not agree with the criticism and did not see risks in the new rules.