Entrepreneurs explain popularity of Timati's burger restaurant by Kadyrov’s support

Entrepreneurs claim because of numerous inspections, it is difficult to conduct business in Chechnya without the support from the authorities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 19, a Black Star Burger restaurant co-owned by singer Timur Yunusov (Timati) was opened in Grozny. Ramzan Kadyrov and Timati cooked and distributed burgers to the first visitors of the restaurant.

Today, Zarema, a local resident, has told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that despite the fact there are several public catering units next to the Black Star Burger restaurant in Grozny, people stay in lines to enter the new restaurant.

"It is not easy to get into the Black Star Burger restaurant, since a lot of people want to taste burgers and ice cream of 'Timati style'. Meanwhile, the prices in the restaurant are rather high: from 600 up to 1000 roubles per burger," the local woman noted.

Chechen entrepreneurs told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that to open a business and run it in Grozny people need not only money, but also "good relations." Besides, the opening of business in Chechnya is associated with many difficulties.

In addition to taxes, entrepreneurs have to pay to inspectors who come to check their activities, said Madina, a resident of Grozny. "It happens regularly... One month I counted 13 checks. And finally, I just closed my business," the woman said.

It should be noted that according to the Independent Institute for Social Policy, in Chechnya, tax revenues from small businesses do not exceed 1% of budget revenues, and small businesses "are concentrated in the shadow economy."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.