OREANDA-NEWS. March 3, 2010. On February, 25 Head of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov has taken part in the meeting On Participation of Bank Community of of the Republic of Karelia in Implementation of Anti-Recessionary Measures and Banking Market Development in the Short Term. Ministers of the economic block and heads of credit organizations of the republic have taken part in the meeting.

Financial credit sphere is very complex and delicate mechanism on which correct work in many respects depend the state of economy, and life in the country. Suffice it to mention that the current world financial and economic crisis has begun with the mortgage credit crunch in the USA. Therefore, Sergey Katanandov is watching the situation closely and such meetings with heads of Karelian banking structures have already become a tradition.

Recently cooperation between the Government of the republic and banks has assumed ever greater importance. Because of the crisis tax proceeds in budgets have decreased sharply, and the Government is forced to resort to loans more often. Therefore, precise work of the bank sector, as it was noted at the meeting, in many respects becomes the guarantee of performance of social obligations of the state.

– We consider that close cooperation between the state and financial credit sector is rather useful and promotes solution of many tasks of strategic development of the republic, – Sergey Katanandov has told in his statement. – Today's meeting is held in a complex atmosphere in difficult conditions. Negative consequences of the world economic crisis keep affecting all spheres of our life. Setback in production on results of the last year has made almost 10%. Anti-recessionary measures taken by the Government have allowed to keep the situation under control, to avoid mass unemployment, mass bankruptcies of enterprises. The bank community of Karelia participated effectively in implementation of anti-recessionary measures within the scope of our joint program adopted at our previous meeting. However, I would like to pay your attention to those directions of cooperation where I would prefer to see your position more active.

In particular, Sergey Katanandov has paid attention of bankers that the Central Bank of Russia is carrying out system work on decrease in the rate of refinancing. Yet, it has not led to price reduction of bank credits for citizens. Both for the business, and for the population credits remain almost inaccessible. "This tendency cannot but disturb us," – Head of the Republic has emphasized.

Sergey Katanandov has especially dwelled upon a question of support of small and medium business, as active and unindifferent position of banks is necessary in this work.

As a whole, participants of the meeting have observed that the bank system of Karelia has managed to avoid the system crisis. Banks have preserved trust of their clients which is indicated by numbers. In particular, the volume of means involved in banks in 2009 has grown by 10.5%. Population of the republic is saving 19 billion roubles in banks today.