Medvedev asks tycoons for wildfire help by Magdalena Rosova

Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, has asked the business tycoons in the country to boost reconstruction efforts after wildfires destroyed many areas in the land and killed dozens of people. The rain and strong wind stopped the ceaseless weeks of terrible heat in Russia. It is predicted that the fires caused damage of 14 billion dollars of Russian GDP this year. Over the 50 days of excruciating heats and fires dozens of people were killed. Many people died in the capital Moscow from toxic smoke. The fires destroyed also grain crops, the losses will influence the country's gross domestic product this year. Medvedev summoned the Russian business elite to his Black Sea ! summer residence in Sochi. Among the tycoons there is Oleg Deripaska, the owner of RUSAL which is the biggest aluminium firm in the world. Another guest is Vladimir Potanin, shareholder in nickel miner Norilsk Nickel. "Taking into account society's attitude towards this problem and the scale of the disaster, I believe we can address how entrepreneurs can take part in dealing with the consequences," Medvedev said. Deripaska promised to build fifty houses and Vladimir Yevtushenkov, leader of oil-totelecoms holding company Sisterma, promised to contribute up to 654,900 American dollars for the reconstruction. It is not the first time Russian government is asking businessmen to take part. They were involved also in other social or industrial projects. Most of the businessmen profited from controversial privatisations in the 1990s. Usually they oblige and take part in the state-backed projects. About 3 thousands people became homeless because of the fires. The Russian government! promised to all of them to build them houses worth up to $65,! 490.

related story (sgx17995): http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67F3T220100816...

by Magdalena Rosova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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