Bashkortostan’s head Rustem Khamitov: It’s difficult for regions to work with the largest strategic companies

The head of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov tells in an interview with the Kommersant, why it is necessary to develop a small business in such old industrial region as Bashkiria, about complexities of working with large industrial companies, about finding an alternative source of limestone for the Bashkir soda company, because it’s impossible to use the famous Mount Shikhany Tratau as a raw material.

- In the summer, the SCO and BRICS summits took place in Ufa, in October - Small Business Forum of the SCO and BRICS countries were held. In 2020, Ufa will hold World Folkloriad. Bashkiria has applied to host the Eurasian Women's Forum in2018, the International Children's Games in 2019, the forum of world beekeepers in 2021, and the World Congress of Philosophy in 2023. As the head of the republic, what do you primarily expect from these events - political dividends or economic ones?