Ambassador to Germany Nechaev pointed to unique conditions for German companies in Russia

Companies from Germany were very comfortable working in the Russian market, because the Russian Federation created unique conditions for them and did not expel any of them. Russian Ambassador to the FRG Sergey Nechaev told Izvestia on December 5.

"Everyone knows that German companies, [Russian President] Vladimir Vladimirovich[Putin] just talked about it, they felt very comfortable in the Russian market. The total number of German companies for the period of, say, 2013-2014, was 6,300, and everyone felt very comfortable. Besides, we didn't kick anyone out," Nechayev said.

He noted that about half of these companies wished to stay in Russia, and some of them left the market, but only conditionally. A unique, very good working environment was created for all these firms. The diplomat pointed out that the companies that left the market did so under political pressure from the West and, apparently, seriously regret it. Nechayev expressed doubt that any other foreign business felt so comfortable on the Russian market.

The ambassador emphasized that Russia is open to companies from other countries, including German ones, and if they show interest in working in the Russian market, they will support it.

On the eve, December 4, Putin called the departure of the German company Volkswagen from Russia in vain, because now it has problems. If the concern had stayed, it would not only sell its products, but also supply components, generating more revenue. The President noted that Moscow had long-standing good relations with Berlin, and the hallmark of the FRG was a high level of investment in industry. Now regulators at the German government level are making mistakes.

Volkswagen Group said on October 28 that it plans to close three plants in Germany and cut tens of thousands of employees as part of reorganization and to reduce costs. It was specified that this measure will affect the plants in Osnabrück, Dresden and Emden. A possible reason for such a step, the German government called the erroneous decisions of the company's management and urged Volkswagen to try to save as many jobs as possible.

Later, on November 14, the head of the German Council for Constitution and Sovereignty Ralf Niemeyer said that German industrialists would like to return to work in Russia and are waiting for an opportunity to do so. The official suggested that Germany needs a new government that will make these latent aspirations of the industry a realized policy.