How often Moscow's new business entrepreneurs express their "appreciation" to Popov was not revealed either. But it is indicative that the "democratic" Moscow mayor, who not so long ago was a modest academic, was listed by the magazine Kommersant early this year as one of the five richest , people in Russia. 28
Popov and his associates can appawithdrew his suit. The official Moscow bribe may now have been pegged at a level well below the American one, but it is still too high for the liking of
Russian business people. This is one of the factors behind a scandal which hit the pages of the Russian
In the early months of this year Konstantin Borovoi, the head of the Russian Commodities and Raw Materials Exchange (RTBS), several times complained publicly that the mayor's office took too much, and that to pay such bribes was beyond the Russian business community. Borovoi and his associates first threatened to declare Moscow a zone hostile to business.
### Feudal corruption
Then, when nothing changed for the better, Borovoi called a press conference where he accused the city government of a degree of corruption possible "only in feudal states". In mid-April, the Moscow newspapers were carrying sensational headlines: "Businessman accuses Moscow government", "Business entrepreneurs demand resignation of Moscow government". Then came Borovoi's charges: "The city's executive power is intimately intertwined with criminal structures, which have created a unique mafia network which controls the city's vital functions. "The city's finest buildings have been sold off to foreign firms or handed over on longterm leases at nominal rents".
The Moscow Convention of Business Entrepreneurs called on residents to force the city government out of office through a boycott of its organs.
Popov summoned his own business who duly declared that everything was in order in the mayor's office and the city government. On April 18 Izvestiya published an article defending Popov and describing Borovoi as a "veteran of sharp business".
the RTSB was then only just setting up in business.
Reasons to be angry
Later, there was some kind of falling out. The fund was withdrawn from the RTSB and deposited with the Moscow Narodny Bank. Then the RTSB's main competitor, the Moscow Commodities Exchange, began to move its business under the protection of Popov. Borovoi had ample cause to be
Borovoi was always an unlikely corruption fighter, and people familiar with his record were not surprised when his crusade came to a sudden halt. Associates of Popov were said to be drawing the mayor's attention to "the need to examine the business interests of Mr. Borovoi".
As practical people, both sides understood that they had nothing to gain from allowing the dispute to become too public or too prolonged. If Borovoi did not respond to threats, he could simply be offered a share of the loot. One way or another, the signal met with a response, and the protests from Borovoi came to an end. * да заростьєт
ДЕМОКРАТИЯ!
"Long live democracy!"
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RUSSIA When is a bribe not a bribe? HOW BIG a bribe do you have to pay if you want some service performed by an employee of the Moscow