4 October, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Private business has positively assessed the draft budget for 2013, approved in the first reading by the House of Representatives. The opinion of entrepreneurs of the Vitebsk region was summarised in a conversation with a BELTA correspondent by Nina Lukyanova, Executive Director of the public association "Association of Employers and Entrepreneurs". "The draft budget contains at least three key points that, if fully approved, could become a support for the further development of private initiative," believes the interviewee. The developers of the draft budget proposed to increase several times the tax rate on unused property. "This will become an effective incentive for its involvement in circulation, including with the participation of small and medium-sized businesses," explained Nina Lukyanova. Another point is directly related to small businesses and concerns the increase in the criteria for applying the simplified tax system. "This is a serious step in implementing the principle of partnership between the state and business, which can significantly facilitate the activities of entrepreneurs," believes the expert. The change in the procedure for forming innovation funds will bring real benefits to businessmen. A single rate of deduction to innovation funds is established for all enterprises, amounting to 10% of the profit tax amount. At the same time, the profit tax rate and the tax burden on organisations of all forms of ownership will not change, and deductions to the funds will be made by financial authorities from the amounts of profit tax paid by economic entities. "All these proposals were submitted by the business community during the discussion of draft laws aimed at liberalising the country's economy, and it is gratifying that they have been taken into account by the government and have found support from the deputies," emphasised the interviewee.