To fall in Russia may close a quarter of shopping centres

The Russian Council of shopping centers (non-profit organization representing the interests of the industry), wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin with a request to support, without which a quarter of the shopping centres may close in the fall. In the appeal we are talking about the need for three types of assistance from the state: subsidies for the current operation, benefits, and deferred taxes (transfer payments from 2020 to 2021) and for the early opening of the shopping center in those regions where it is still not completely lifted restrictions on the coronavirus.

The authors of the letter note that due to the pandemic in all regions of the country-food trade, in fact, was closed for two months. In shopping centers and many regions are still working only a few shops occupying not more than 10-15% of the total lease area.

“Income in fact no sales have yet to recover. The sector has not received from the state no subsidies or compensation foregone rental income, and examination of all proposals on the support of the industry invariably meet with failure. All coming from tenants payments, which is roughly 10-20% of the previous year, are directed to the maintenance of objects in working condition: security, cleaning, utilities, etc.,” said managing Director of RCSC Oleg Wojciechowski.

According to him, every day the economic condition of shopping malls is deteriorating. July 1, ended the moratorium on collection of arrears on taxes, so the end of the month the owners of shopping centers are required to repay all outstanding VAT. According to estimates of the Council, if the state does not provide deferred payment, then in 2020 the value added tax TC needs to pay 52 billion rubles, property tax — 24 billion rubles, profit tax — 15 billion roubles unified social tax of 4 billion rubles. But such money at the Mall there and their accounts can be blocked.

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