[Retric]

In theory, trade only happens when it benefits both parties. I might hate the local Exxon selling soda for 2$ a bottle, but I can still buy it at other stores. The only reason you complain is they are charging you for the amount of effort they save you and not their costs.

So, opening a store is a net gain, as is investing 4 billion in the economy. In theory.

[steveblgh]

Of course state protectionism might help local furniture manufacturers to catch up and grow their own business and that might actually benefit the Russian economy even more. Perhaps the legal, administrative burdens are there with a purpose, or maybe I'm reading too much into it...

[laut]

Protectionism is bad. It doesn't benefit an economy. It can benefit the protected industries short term as well as the people they bribe to get the protection. But overall it is bad.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage for instance.

[stcredzero]

Trade happens when both parties think it benefits them. If one side gets fooled and screwed enough, it should stop. If that one side is the government, it may not, since it is paying with someone else's money.