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The Yabloko faction is conducting negotiations with
the government to support the draft budget for 2001.
The faction has proposed a number of conditions in
the “Basic Proposals of the Yabloko Association” for
the Draft Federal Budget for 2001”, forwarded to the
Government of the RF on October 2.
1. To specify the revenues totalling about 88 bln
roubles from different
non-inflationary sources that are basically independent
of changes to the oil prices. The developers of the
Proposals proved that the following funds “have not
been considered” by the government:
- 29 bln roubles from the profits tax of enterprises
and organisations;
- 24 bln roubles from VAT on imports to the RF;
- 19 bln roubles from export duties;
- 7 bln roubles from customs duties;
- 3.4 bln roubles from import duties;
- 2.27 bln roubles from dividends on state-owned
shares;
- 2.4 bln roubles from the rent of property owned
by the state and other revenues from property owned
by the state, or its activity;
- 0.4 bln roubles from the state tax.
2. The faction proposes distribution of the additional
funds in accordance with the programme priorities
of Yabloko. In particular:
- over 50% of the disclosed funds should be allotted
to state defence and military reform, which will
allow, in particular, for the initial transition
of the army to a contract basis and abolition of
military conscription, a reduction in the armed
forces of 400.000 people, a doubling of officer
pay; at the same time the pay of grass-root contractors
will amount to 2.500 roubles, housing will be provided
for the military transferred to the reserve, they
will receive professional retraining and be provided
with jobs;
- increase financing of education by 4.8 bln roubles
(including an upgrade of the material base and an
enhancement of the professionalism of staff);
- increase financing of judicial reforms by 1.3
bln roubles;
3. Yabloko supports a reduction in the political
influence of governors, but at the same will try to
ensure an expansion in their economic functions. Yabloko
insists that thedistribution of the revenues between
the federal and the regional budgets should comply
with the Budget Code of the RF and maintain the ratio
50:50. The developers of the Proposals offer such
a scheme for redistribution of tax and other revenues,
whereby the revenue part of the budgets of federation
subjects would be increased by 7.4 bln
roubles and that of local budgets by 7.7 bln roubles.
4. Yabloko also thinks that a share of federal budget
revenues should be
allotted to a repayment of Russia’s foreign debts.
Consequently, following implementation of Yabloko’s
proposals, a budget surplus amounting to 17,6466 bln
roubles should be established and the revenue component
of the budget should be increased to 1266,4452 bln
roubles, while expenditure should amount to 1248,7986
bln roubles.
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