'Give us the time to close': small business asks for deferment from mobilization

Alexander Dybin

Representatives of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) in a number of Russian regions proposed a number of changes to the partial mobilization process. The essence of the amendments is to give deferrals to employees and managers of small and medium-sized businesses.

“We studied the course of mobilization in a number of regions of the country and saw that businesses have difficulties when they call on key employees who have no one to replace or call on a leader who, as a rule, is also the owner of a small enterprise”, - says Dmitry, ASI public representative in the Chelyabinsk region Dovzhenko, - hence the proposal to give more time to find a replacement for employees, as well as to resolve issues with the re-registration of the business, appeared.

The business community shares their experience of recruiting employees of small enterprises. According to a representative of one of the technology companies, employees of enterprises in the microelectronics cluster in Zelenograd were called up.

“A number of key specialists have already been taken away. Each specialist in microelectronics, up to his level, undergoes training for at least 10 years on very expensive installations that require the highest qualifications, with very specific knowledge. Electronics is the foundation of any modern technology. There is a shortage of specialists in the world now, they are being collected, they are fighting for them, - says the businessman. “This human capital is worth hundreds of millions and saves billions of lives by creating technological parity. The cycle of restoring the previous production capacity is from 10 years, and taking into account the loss of training and personnel potential, at least 20 years.

Deferment proposals were signed by members of the GR-Club of ASI public representatives from St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, Khakassia, Nizhny Novgorod, Tula, Amur, Chelyabinsk, Moscow, Kurgan, Sverdlovsk and Volgograd regions.

“The departure of key employees from small enterprises threatens to suspend their work”, - says Yevgeny Vasiliev, coordinator of the club for strategic initiatives in St. Petersburg, “there is a personnel reserve at large factories. But small companies do not, where every specialist is a piece. Therefore, business needs time to find a replacement for the mobilized one. Otherwise, this will lead to a stoppage of work, and these are also jobs, taxes. In addition, if we are talking about technology companies, then they may have some obligations for import substitution, subsidies and grants taken. If specialists leave, how to work it out?

Representatives of the ASI propose the introduction of a reservation or a deferment from conscription for highly qualified and key specialists of small enterprises. The introduction of a maximum threshold for conscription from one enterprise in order to avoid a critical loss of personnel. The introduction of armor for employees who ensure the operation of critical infrastructure: thermal power plants, electrical networks, water supply and sanitation, garbage disposal. The introduction of armor for farm managers, as well as their employees. Another measure is a delay for social entrepreneurs, heads of socially oriented NGOs who receive grants, as well as for heads of individual entrepreneurs and farms with whom social contracts have been concluded.

A number of other measures concern managers and owners of enterprises that may be subject to conscription. For them, it is proposed to introduce the right to defer from mobilization up to 2 months, granting a special status to individual entrepreneurs called up for military service on mobilization, which will allow them to temporarily combine entrepreneurial activity and military service. Now those drafted are required to close the IP. In addition, they ask to introduce a transitional period of up to 7 working days for the transfer of cases, execution of powers of attorney, etc., simplification of legal procedures related to the change of director, filing an application for non-calculation of social contributions, etc. At the same time, it is proposed to completely freeze the collection of fines and foam and the like.

“The document will be sent to several recipients”, - says Yevgeny Vasiliev, “first of all, to the mobilization headquarters, the general director of the ASI, and the heads of regions. We, as public figures, are ready to collect information, make lists of companies and employees, as we work with this community”.

Recall that Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization in Russia on September 21. According to the president, only those who "served in the ranks of the armed forces, have certain military specialties and relevant experience" will be called up. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced plans to mobilize 300,000 people.