President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Where shall we begin, Mr Shokhin?

President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin Shokhin AlexanderPresident of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs : Mr President, I would like to begin by thanking you. On May 8, you signed an executive order to bestow a high state decoration, the Order For Valiant Labour, on the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

This year, the RSPP marks its 35^th anniversary. Of course, it is quite heartening for us to know that you and the Russian state appreciate RSPP's contribution as the leading business association and a national association of employers.

Mr President, I would like to report on the way we have been carrying out the instructions you gave us as part of the RSPP's congress. It took place on March 26 and we submitted several proposals to you, which you used to issue your instructions.

I would like to begin by telling you that we are working on bringing up to date the institution of the commissioner for entrepreneurs' rights. During our meeting in late March, you suggested that it was time to upgrade this institution. Moreover, the most effective option would be to transform the commissioner's functions into a public and state institution rather than keeping it as a purely state institution. We held a series of consultations with the Presidential Executive Office and the business community to draft the corresponding proposals for amending the Law on the Commissioners for Entrepreneurs' Rights.

Vladimir Putin: Are you suggesting establishing an autonomous non-profit organisation to replace the commissioner's offices?

Alexander Shokhin: Yes, and here is the chart which shows the way we would like to advance on this matter. This will not be an exclusively public institution. Instead, it will be a public and a state institution at the same time, because we believe that the state must be involved in this autonomous non-profit organisation's operations as its founder. The leading business associations, which, apart from the RSPP, include the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Delovaya Rossiya, and OPORA Russia, will also stay on as the founders.

Today, this autonomous non-profit organisation operates as a structure with a primary focus on processing applications from businesses. Moreover, all our law enforcement agencies, and the Prosecutor General's Office adopted regulations for working with these applications. This ensures that complaints dealing with excessive pressure are reviewed in the central offices instead of being sent to the very level that is targeted in these complaints.

To be continued.