Vladimir Putin urges regional governors meeting in Kislovodsk to cut spending on personal needs.
Spending on government administration and bureaucrats' salaries has been growing in many regions. Vladimir Putin told a meeting in Kislovodsk yesterday that he had ordered the Finance Ministry to monitor how effectively they are saving money.
"You? In the flesh?" a woman with a baby in her arms marvelled when she bumped into the prime minister.
"It's me all right," he smiled as he strolled down Kurortny Boulevard in Kislovodsk, a Russian holiday resort and spa where he chaired a meeting on regional development yesterday.
The prime minister was in high spirits on the eve of the meeting. The Dolina Narzanov (Narzan Valley) sanatorium where the meeting took place had done a thorough job of preparing for the occasion. Narzan baths were bubbling over. "Four hundred litres of Narzan mineral water for 15 minutes a day has a general healthy effect," the doctor was explaining as she opened and closed the taps. Those present did some numbers and discovered that in Moscow such a bath would cost a cool 24,000 roubles (that is, if one buys bottled Narzan in the shop). In Dolina Narzanov it costs 3100 roubles a day including swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna, aquatic centre, tennis court, solarium and billiards (at least that was what the journalists were told). "Those with a heart condition should come here," the guide in a white gown ushered the prime minister towards a bath tub with diluted sodium and sea salt. "Here we determine the functional state of the cerebral cortex. Good after a stroke and for epilepsy," a male doctor explained.
Some governors would certainly have benefited from such services. Vladimir Putin, his face suddenly growing serious, asked everyone to get ready for a practical, hands-on and "hopefully professional discussion." He said that the consolidated regional budget has reported a surplus. "But that does not mean that we do not have a crisis," the premier began on a sinister note.
He said that populism was inadmissible and that all the regions should meet their obligations to their citizens. He recalled that the budget had earmarked 1 trillion roubles to support the regions. He said it was a hefty sum that should cover all needs. He urged all those present (economics ministers and governors) to steadily increase their revenue base.
"One should borrow very carefully," the prime minister said, passing on to the next topic. "If you run up debts this year what will you do next year?" He noted that different regions were differently affected by the crisis. The regions whose industry is export-oriented have been hit hardest. He said subsidies to balance the regional budgets were envisaged.
The prime minister said it was inadmissible for the regional governors to ignore social obligations.
Investment should go into projects that are in the finishing stage: "Otherwise we will end up with a lot of unfinished projects on our hands. We've been there before."
"Many regions are increasing their spending on government administration and salaries for civil servants," the prime minister frowned. In some regions it has increased by 4%, but in other regions the figures are much higher. "I will name them," he said threateningly. The list includes: Magadan, 38%, Ingushetia, 30%, Novgorod Region, 28%, Moscow, 27%, Murmansk, 27%, Bryansk, 27% and Adygea, 24%. Putin said that the offending regions blame everything on the crisis-management headquarters, which is bad enough. But the federal ministries are also not without sin. "And yet we are in a crisis year," he stressed. Turning to Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, he instructed him "to see how effectively everybody is saving." "We call on everyone to live according to their means," the pime minister said.
Yulia Shestoperova
