Archive for Budget

Russian PM urges ‘spending optimization’ to meet welfare pledges

Dmitry Medvedev file photo

(Interfax – Gorki, April 3, 2013) Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev has said the social obligations taken by the state are unconditional and set the task of optimizing spending in this area. “A very considerable sum is provided for these purposes (in the social sphere) in the federal budget this year: over R5,000bn (about 160bn dollars at the current rate of exchange),” Medvedev said when he opened a meeting on

Only Harsh Medicine Can Spur Russia’s Economy – Kudrin

Alexei Kudrin file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, April 4, 2013) ­ The Russian authorities are dodging vital but unpopular measures and structural reforms necessary to spur Russia’s faltering economic growth, former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Thursday. “The government is making use of measures other than those necessary while being afraid of real measures because they are not always popular,” said Kudrin, who is no longer in government but heads his Civic

Russia’s long-term budget strategy to be based on development forecast to 2030 – PM

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax) – The long-term forecast for Russia’s social and economic development in the period to 2030 will be the foundation for the country’s long-term budget strategy, as well as federal and regional programs, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said. “Long-term budget strategy, federal and regional programs should be formed on the basis of this document, but we need to have an idea of what the estimates will be

Russian Cabinet spars over oil profit investment

Oil Well file photo

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Irina Granik, Moskovskiye Novosti – February 11, 2013) Old arguments have risen again in the government, after the publication of the “Five Years of Effectiveness” economic program earlier this month. The themes, as before, are how much money should remain in the state reserve in case of a crisis, and how to finance investment projects with state participation. Economic Development Minister Andrei Belousov considers, first,

Officials Call for Budget Discipline

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com -  Irina Filatova – February 1, 2013) Finance Ministry and Central Bank officials on Thursday called for strict adherence to existing budget policy, saying the measure is critical to achievement of the high rates of economic growth set by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Attaining an annual 5 percent increase in gross domestic product is “very ambitious,” but pursuing “an understandable budget policy” makes that target realistic,

Defense Spending and Policy Discussions Are Splitting the Russian Elite

Russian Nuclear Submarine file photo

(Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org – Eurasia Daily Monitor: Volume 9, Issue 200 – Pavel Felgenhauer – November 2, 2012) Last week, the public standing of one of President Vladimir Putin’s most powerful cohorts­ — Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov­ — was seriously undermined when Russia’s Investigation Committee (Slyedstvenny Kommitet Rossye­SKR) publicly accused the defense ministry­-controlled holding company “Oboronservis” of corruption and of defrauding the federal budget of “over three billion rubles”

Russian Military Pay Rises, But Draft to Remain – Chief

File Photo of Russian Military Conscripts Boarding Train with Gear

MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti) – Although salaries for members of the armed forces are rising fast, Russia will continue to rely on conscription in coming years, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said in an interview with the newsweekly Itogi to be published on Monday. Serdyukov touted the fact that commanders of Russia’s Pacific Fleet nuclear ballistic missile submarines will earn more than he does beginning on January 1. “If [the

Not Possible to Support Social Protections, Large Army, Many State Properties Simultaneously – Dvorkovich

Arkady Dvorkovich file photo

MOSCOW. Oct 3 (Interfax) – Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich has called it impossible for Russia to simultaneously have a high level of social protection, a large army, and a lot of state properties. “We cannot allow ourselves to simultaneously have a very high level of social protection in a system built on paternalistic principles, at the same time a very large army, and at the same time a

Russia is running out of cash

File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Outdoor Rally with Microphone in Hand and Heavy Coat

Dmitri Travin – www.opendemocracy.net – September 28, 2012 Dmitry Travin is Research Director at the European University in St. Petersburg’s Centre of Modernization Studies As the Russian government tries to put together its budget plan for 2013-2015, it is clear that it cannot possibly meet all its pre-election promises. Dmitry Travin looks at the financial crisis facing the country. The Russian government’s draft budget plans for the next three years

Russia is building an “iron fist” to deter the West; A National Consensus in Moscow on Pursuing a Revisionist Strategy

Russian Nuclear Submarine file photo

Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume 13 Issue 19 – By Pavel Felgenhauer – Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org- September 17, 2012 In an interview published on September 26 in the official government Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of armaments Dmitry Rogozin, highly praised President Vladimir Putin’s plans to “reindustrialize Russia” by spending hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild its defense industry. During his reelection this year for third term as

Russian Finance Minister Answers Putin’s Criticism Of Three-Year Federal Budget

Anton Siluanov file photo

(Interfax – Moscow, 19 September)  The Russian president’s decrees of 7 May, which reflect (Vladimir Putin’s) election campaign ideas, are a priority, and R1,145bn (36.7bn dollars) is to be spent on their implementation over the next three years, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told journalists. “The implementation of the decrees is a priority. For all the ministries and agencies, this is a matter of priority. We took a special budgetary

Putin Slams Officials Over Election Promises

Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

By Irina Filatova – Moscow Times – September 18, 2012 President Vladimir Putin slammed government officials Tuesday for failing to implement the decrees containing his election promises, with the regional development minister and the labor and social services minister coming under fire. Putin said that he had discussed the assignments with almost all ministers, but there had been major failures in the fulfillment of some of his orders. For example,

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