The key function of Center of Public Procedures Business Against Corruption will be to deal with particular claims from businessmen, to conduct expert reviews to identify any corruption or hostile takeover elements and to prepare expert opinions. The Center will also monitor the business environment, make legislative proposals to improve this environment and create information resources to facilitate this process.

Mr. Boris Titov, Chairman, Business Russia; Mr. Boris Zimin, Honorary President, Vympelcom OJSC; Ms. Yana Yakovleva, Chairman, Business Solidarity; and Mr. Andrey Parfiriev, Senior Lawyer, EPAM have become the Center’s Coordinators.

The Center’s Supervisory Board will consist of representatives of governmental authorities. The Russian Audit Chamber and the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have already designated their representatives for this purpose. Representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office, Investigation Committee, Ministry of Economic Policy and Development, and deputies, as representatives of legislative authorities, are expected to be appointed to the Board.

Additionally, the Expert Committee is being formed to bring together legal specialists and professionals, community leaders and media representatives.

“It is extremely difficult to overcome the systematic corruption. And we do not set up for this. However, if we have a chance to have the justice served at least in one case, we will use this change”, Mr. Boris Titov, Chairman, Business Russia, said at press conference dedicated to opening the Center.

“Over the recent years, our Firm has made a significant contribution by filling in the gaps in Russian legislation, which allowed corruption. However, this issue is still relevant: now and again we see how businessmen are stripped of their livelihoods. We are pleased to share our experience from anticorruption expert reviews and defending against hostile takeovers with the new Center”, said Mr. Andrey Parfiriev, Senior Lawyer, EPAM.

“Our Firm protects the rights of large investors and in creating the Business Against Corruption sees a clear signal to foreign partners of Russia that not only are the country’s management and members of the public committed to fight against corruption, but also Russian businesses. We are certain that the legal community should be involved in shaping a zero tolerance approach to doing business by corruption and hostile takeover schemes. Without this, it will be impossible to upgrade our economy”, concluded Andrey.