The Accounts Chamber criticized SME property support for inefficiency

Property support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which includes preferential terms of lease and purchase of state property, has not yet led to significant results. According to the report of the Accounts Chamber, the implemented support measures have no strategic guidelines, are of a point character and in general cover no more than 0.33% of the total number of SMEs. The report was read by Izvestia on February 12.

The inspection showed that SME Corporation does not realize the task of providing property support to business entities, envisaged by the SME development strategy until 2030. This is due to the lack of property for these purposes.

Based on the results of the audit of Rosimushchestvo, the Accounts Chamber drew attention to a number of barriers. First of all, it is insufficient informing of SMEs about the possibility to receive assistance.

"At present, property support of small and medium-sized businesses at the federal level is carried out outside the framework of strategic target setting: target indicators characterizing the results of the assistance provided are not set in strategic planning documents," noted Danil Shilkov, auditor of the Accounts Chamber, at the board.

Besides, the risks of abuse by entrepreneurs of the right of pre-emptive purchase of leased property granted to them have been established. The audit of transactions made in 2021-2023 showed that in 17% of cases, business entities after buying out the property did not use it directly for their business, but resold it within a short period of time. In a number of cases, the resale value exceeded the redemption price by 1.5-5 times.

Based on the results of the audit, the Accounts Chamber recommended the government to establish in the strategic planning documents of the federal and regional levels planned indicators of property support to SMEs, as well as to develop measures to protect against the risks of abuse by entrepreneurs of the right of pre-emptive purchase of leased federal property.

The press service of the SME Corporation told Izvestia that the association, with the assistance of federal and regional authorities, will continue to develop proposals to improve the legal and regulatory framework for property support, which will increase its effectiveness for entrepreneurs.

"During the implementation of the national project to support SMEs from 2019 to 2024, the creation of 61 industrial, techno- and business parks in the regions was financed. They provide entrepreneurs with access to ready-made infrastructure on favorable terms. During this time, 900 residents started to develop their business, they created 15 thousand new jobs. By order of the President, 100 more such parks should be created by 2030", - specified in the press service.

Earlier, on January 30, in the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia told "Izvestia" that the department restarts the program of preferential investment lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in priority sectors of the economy. The program will be implemented jointly with the Bank of Russia and will combine subsidies from the federal budget, as well as preferential funding from the Bank of Russia. In addition, as part of the program, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia will continue to subsidize loans issued in 2019-2024 to SMEs and self-employed citizens under the "1764" program.