Speaking at a meeting of the leaders of veteran associations and elderly people's unions, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that all military personnel dismissed from service in the 1990s would receive flats (if they didn't have one) by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. In addition, starting in 2012, the Government will adjust the difference between civil and ex-military pensions. The Government's Veterans Council will resolve any new issues.
Russia's veteran organizations unite participants in the Great Patriotic War, the Afghan war, armed conflicts on former Soviet territory and the employees of security services and law-enforcement bodies. "Your generation has worked for this country during its entire life and spilled blood, if need be. You lived a modest life, especially in Soviet times; you lived for the idea and understood your responsibility. Today you deserve respect and normal life," Putin said. He mentioned that Russia has more than 40 million veterans and pensioners today.
Putin said the Government has decided to render direct financial support to all public organizations involved in socially meaningful work. All in all, it will allocate 900 million roubles for this purpose this year. The Government is also working on a special federal programme to help non-profit associations and is planning to earmark 4.5 billion roubles from 2011 to 2013 for this.
Putin reminded everyone that Russia was the only country that did not reduce its social benefits during the crisis. Veterans of the Great Patriotic War receive 23,000 roubles and soldiers' widows 17,000 roubles per month. In addition, the Government spent more than 170 billion roubles to provide veterans with housing in the last three years. "With this investment, more than 145,000 veterans of the Great Patriotic War saw their housing conditions improved," Putin said. He added that another 41,000 can look forward to house-warming parties in the near future and that more are getting registered on the waiting list. Military personnel discharged from service in the 1990s will also receive flats at the end of this or the beginning of the next year (many discharged military personnel ended up on the street because they had no flats and were no longer entitled to departmental housing).
"The Veterans Council, a new body organised by the Government, will resolve any issues. Veterans associations function at many ministries – the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development, the Interior Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Emergencies Ministry. Their representatives will be part of the new council that will oversee proposals to improve the current legislation," Putin explained.
He also had a charge for veterans: "You bring people together who keep our nation's history and experience alive. Your example and authority are important to the younger generation." Putin said that veterans could influence young people with a patriotic spirit and with a view to maintaining "inter-ethnic peace."
Yulia Shestoperova
