Constantine Tolkachev: “Joining WTO will remove discrimination points with regard to Russia”

At present time State Duma discusses ratification of the protocol concerning Russia’s joining WTO. The chairman of the State Council RB Constantine Tolkachev believes that positive decision will provide Russia with some advantages, including access to the means of international legal protection.

“There are more than 190 independent states in the world and 155 states are participants of WTO. Since the moment of WTO establishment in 1995 none of these states has left it. In any case we have to observe WTO regulations in our external economic activity but before that we never possessed those rights and opportunities, which this organization gives to its participants. Now these discrimination moments will be removed and many doors will be opened wide for our goods. Besides, we get the access to the means of international legal protection”.

In opinion of the speaker Russian companies have to stand the wave of competition but it is dangerous only for inefficient companies.

“Russia has managed to soften conditions of WTO joining and our companies have some time for adaptation to new conditions and those, who vote against WTO, are sure that our economics has to be isolated from international markets and this, finally, leads to the deadlock”.