Press release, 17.06.2015

The YABLOKO faction in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg voted against the law on the implementation of the city budget in 2014 in connection with the systemic shortcomings of the budget process in St. Petersburg, that YABLOKO pointed at at all the stages of adopting of the budget last year, runs the faction’s statement. None of the budget sections was fully implemented in the expenditure part. The budget remained closed to the public, in addition, the performance report is considered before the end of the public hearings on it, which is a violation of the law. According to YABLOKO deputies, changes in the legislation on the city budget are required.

In 2014 budget expenditures were implemented only by 93.4 per cent and the Special Investment Programmy by only 80 per cent.

St.Petersburg budget is closed to public discussion and the expert community. The Legislative Assembly did not analyse, assessed the efficiency or controlled implementation of the budget. Budget priorities were chosen at random, most of the expenditures are hidden behind broad and vague formulations. The budget itself is formed on the basis of outdated data on socio-economic development.

The YABLOKO faction not only rejected the draft law on the budget, but proposed changes to the law of St. Petersburg budget process, which could make the process of preparing and adjusting the budget open and transparent, provide opportunities for public participation in the control over the city finances, rule out corruption-prone items and make the budget justified and consistent with the interests of the city residents.