| Moscow August 30, 2002. The adoption by the State Duma of
the federal budget
for 2003 in the government’s version is unprofitable for
Russia’s regions.
This opinion was expressed by Deputy Head of the Budget Committee
of the
State Duma Mikhail Zadornov (YABLOKO) at his meeting with journalists
on
Friday, August 30, 2002.
Zadornov noted that the Government believed it was viable to
maintain the
distribution of revenues between the centre and the regions at
the level in
2002: 60% to the federal treasury and 40% to the budgets of Russian
Federation subjects. “Theoretically this should not lead
to any
deterioration in the situation in the regions, however, in practice
regional authorities may face serious financial difficulties,
related
primarily to the payment of wages to budget workers,” noted
Mikhail
Zadornov. He also added that the budget for 2003 does not envisage
any
additional aid for the regions. Moreover, according to Zadornov,
Russian
Federation subjects will have to find the requisite financial
resources to
return to the federal budget about 20 billion roubles received
as loans in
2002.
The [Duma’s] approval of such a budget will “inevitably
create problems for
deputies running election campaigns in single-mandate electoral
districts,”
thinks Zadornov. He is also certain that “realistic”
parliament members
elected to the Duma from single-mandate electoral districts “will
not agree
to march together with pro-governmental factions and will advocate
the
interests of their regions when discussing the draft budget.”
See also:
Budget
for 2003
Elections to the
State Duma, 2003 | 