Today in Russian Business – July 27, 2011

Rosneft will not have to provide confidential documents to corruption whistleblower and minority shareholder Alexei Navalny, after a court rescinded a decision by a lower court. ‘This is just garbage. It brings everything back to square one,’ Navalny commented.  Reuters reports with the latest on the Kremlin’s privatization plans, including full privatization of its VTB, Rosneft and InterRAO stakes.  President Dmitry Medvedev thinks that the investment climate is improving, four months after noting that it was suffering.  Poor security at online shops is being blamed for this week’s leaked order information.  Aided by the internet, newly independent Russian travelers are challenging the tour operator industry.  Top agricultural groups in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, have founded the Agriculture and Industrial Association of the Customs Union, a lobbying organization to advance their global interests.  According to Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Shatalov, 2013 could see an increase in taxes, a replacement of land taxes with a unified real estate tax, and a raising of the retirement age to 65 ‘gradually, in stages’.  Vladimir Putin is pushing for completion of the 2011 state arms procurement program.