Gleb Nikitin Discusses Support Measures with Business

Gleb Nikitin chaired a meeting of the operational headquarters dedicated to the sustainability of socio-economic development in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The main focus was on the situation in logistics and small business, the regional government«s press service reported.

Deputy Governor Yegor Polyakov noted that the region«s economy is operating under challenging conditions. In the transport sector, freight volumes have decreased by 11.3%, while small and medium-sized businesses report a drop in consumer demand, rising costs, and a shortage of qualified personnel.

Minister of Economic Development Alexander Solovyov explained that transport companies are facing higher transportation costs due to increased prices for consumables and tariffs. Some support measures are already in place in the region, including transport tax benefits.

Regional authorities plan to ask the Russian government to freeze tariffs for freight carriers in the Platon system or introduce a moratorium on collecting the fee. Additionally, they propose supporting entrepreneurs« ideas for a moratorium on unscheduled inspections and tax holidays, as well as leveling conditions for Russian and foreign companies engaged in cabotage transportation in Russia.

For small businesses, the main challenge will be the 2025-2026 tax reform, said Minister of Industry Maxim Cherkasov. This is compounded by a decline in purchasing power among Nizhny Novgorod residents and rising marketplace commissions for sellers. The most vulnerable are light industry enterprises — footwear and clothing manufacturers.

Following the meeting, the governor instructed to discuss the introduction of an automated simplified taxation system (autoSTS) in the Nizhny Novgorod region. It is also necessary to work on revising the VAT base for sellers on marketplaces — currently, it includes platform commissions reaching 50-70% of the product«s cost, which is unjust.

Additionally, the issue of compensating losses to Nizhny Novgorod entrepreneurs after drone attacks on Wildberries warehouses was raised. Nikitin ordered ministries and business associations to compile lists of affected parties and protect their interests before the company and relevant agencies.

The governor emphasized that the business community is expected to take reciprocal steps — actively «whitening» employee salaries and abandoning schemes of artificially splitting companies to evade taxes.