The latest meeting of the regional committee on government support to local businesses was devoted to the efforts currently made by OAO VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation and OAO SUAL (BAZ-SUAL’s subsidiary) to increase their tax payments to Sverdlovsk Region’s consolidated budget. The meeting was chaired by Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government Anatoly Gredin.

It was observed that VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation was trying to cut down on its indispensable payments. Even though the sales revenues only went down a little, the company’s net profit decreased by 3.2 times, which affected the amount of tax due to be paid considerably.

According to the corporation’s GD Mikhail Voyevodin, the company managed to keep most of its workers (14,440 people) and the same pay despite the existing problems. At the same time, the organization is planning to transfer the maintenance costs of its recreation center and a number of other buildings to the town of Verkhnyaya Salda. The Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government said this transferal would have to be interconnected with the company’s tax payments and the workers’ wages.

The General Director of OAO SUAL (BAZ-SUAL’s subsidiary) Yuri Moiseyev admitted that his company was paying less in taxes. However, he said he was positive about Bogoslovskiy smelter’s future, as the plant was expected to launch its sixth series of electrolysis units in Krasnoturyinsk in 2010, so more produce would result in greater tax payments.

At the end of the meeting, Anatoly Gredin asked the attendees to accept with understanding the challenges set forth by the region’s Governor and Government and to do their best to increase both the workers’ pay and the taxes paid to the budget.