Putin: Prosecutors must respect business rights, stop collusions

MOSCOW, Apr 25 (PRIME) -- All rights of the businessmen must be protected, and favorable conditions for their work must be provided, but collusions behind the scenes must be stopped, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, addressing the prosecutors.

"I am addressing you with an urgent appeal to respect all rights of entrepreneurs, to create favorable working conditions for them, but if someone abuses the monopolistic position, engages in behind-the-scenes cartel collusions, the antitrust authorities and prosecutors must react swiftly," Putin said.

Putin urged the prosecutors to reduce red tape to help the business. He said that some of the small and medium businesses were hit by the sanctions restrictions without having fully recovered after the pandemic.

Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said that many 'speculators on the pharmaceutical market' had raised their prices because of inexplicable greed and must be punished by law. He ordered the prosecutors to prevent any attempts to hike the prices for medicines.

Krasnov also said that some companies can abuse the government aid aimed to prevent unemployment, and ordered to control the situation with spending of the funds. He said that he had sent the list of companies that announced a downtime or reduction of the staff to the prosecutors.

According to the official, any doubt about the need to hold an extraordinary check of the business must be interpreted in favor of the business.

End %%mk/jst%%