The people’s deputy Rynat Akhmetov stands for that all Ukraine to become free economic zone. He told yesterday at the session of the VR on economic policy in Donetsk. The session concerned development prospects of free economic zones and territories of priority development in Ukraine.
“I stand for Ukraine to become free economic zone,” he said. “I consider we need not free economic zones but economically free country,” Akhmetov added.
He also expressed convictions that “Ukraine should become the best country in Europe for running business.”
“But for this we should provide respect of property rights, supreme power, political, economic and social stability, just and equal rules of play for everyone. And of course low taxes. The world experience proves that it is the best inceptive for investors,” the people’s deputy explained.
According to him, “free economic zones are not an aim but method, one of the methods to promote investments, but an aim to provide economic growth.”
“Concerning my opinion to free economic zones, I am convinced that big business does not need preferences. Big business can compete on equal terms,” he said.
According to Akhmetov, “big business refuses the privileges because privileges giving operating return, at the same time destroy business value. It means by earning million, you loose milliard. Investors, especially western ones, treat carefully different privileges.”
I offer to work deliberately and unhurriedly. We should analyze all pros and cons and only then to make decisions.
«According to him, the question on economic zones is difficult and polysemantic He reminded that “free economic zone are under the criticism for they are opaque and inefficient. But at the same time he added that there are positive examples, which are called economic miracle, in China and Arabian Emirates.
After a session the people’s deputy noted that he is not against free economic zones. “One should not say so. I am against we hurry and make emotional decisions. I am categorically against that in 2005 the Government of Tymoshenko canceled functioning of free economic zones. It shows that rules of the game were established but then the investors’ rights were violated,” Akhmetov said.
“Free economic zones should be transparent, understandable, simple and equal with all right for everyone. It is important,” Akhmetov concluded.
