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IGOR YURGENS: OLIGARCHS DO NOT EXPECT FAVORS AS THE GOVERNMENT STEPS UP EFFORTS AGAINST TERRORISM

MOSCOW, September 16 (RIA Novosti) - Igor Yurgens, Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, offered his forecasts for the prospects of dialogue between the state and business in an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

Mr. Yurgens said none of the countries fighting terrorism had succeeded in simultaneously promoting democracy. Therefore, until Russia has overcome the pinnacle of terrorism it will not return to the modernization strategy based on purely liberal, free market principles.

In comments on the Yukos affair and the hints of the newspaper's Kremlin sources that there are lists of companies that are facing the oil major's plight, Mr. Yurgens said that any company whatsoever is not immune to prosecution. The Yukos affair is scandalous as the Audit Chamber, tax authorities and dozens of other bodies audited the company 5-6 times in the time periods for which it had been accused of underpaying taxes and revealed that the oil giant's activities fell in line with law that provided for some loopholes, something which is typical of every economy of the original accumulation period.

When asked whether business might be interested in financing new political parties, Mr. Yurgens said small and medium business might be interested in that. "Big business of the federal level, mega holdings will only fund the ruling parties, or rather they will be forced to as major businessmen remember what happened to Khodorkovsky," said Mr. Yurgens.