Translated material
Current account
After an audit by the Accounts Chamber, the cost of reconstructing the water supply system in Kaliningrad doubled
In the westernmost region of the country, a scandal broke out around the “water” loan. The Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation recognized the ineffective use of money received from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).They have been trying to establish a water supply system in Kaliningrad for a long time. In a city located in Europe, not all residents still have water in their taps, and sometimes it can appear, for example, with sand. The local water supply system, which often operates on old German communications, is very dependent on weather conditions - on the same wind. If it blows from the “wrong” side, then salt water from the Baltic Sea enters the city - this cannot be supplied to apartments. In Kaliningrad this is called “surge phenomena”. Several years ago, due to such phenomena, the city lived in emergency mode for more than half a month - drinking water was delivered to courtyards in barrels.
As a result, the local authorities signed a loan agreement with the EBRD (for approximately 50 million euros), which, due to very protracted approvals in various authorities, came into force only three years after signing. The project was managed by the Swedish company Sweco International. And, according to local authorities, it was unsuccessful - only 17% of the total loan amount was disbursed. First Deputy Mayor of Kaliningrad Yuri Bedenko told Vremya Novostey: “The Swedish company failed to fulfill its obligations. Added to this are the problems of our former director of Vodokanal. In relation to this loan, he took an incomprehensible position. We fired him from his job, and the materials against him were transferred to the prosecutor’s office.”
There was a strange story with the director (then he was Mikhail Tyagusov, ex-head of the Moscow Association of State Electric Power Plants). He was fired with a loud scandal. In January 2006, Mr. Tyagusov stated that some enterprising businessmen had stolen approximately 200 million rubles. from an EBRD loan. The inquisitive director was shown the door with the wording “for not understanding the tasks that the manager faces.” In particular, he was accused of the fact that, without the consent of the city administration, he corresponded with federal structures, in which he questioned the implementation of the project to reconstruct the water supply system. Be that as it may, after his departure the local authorities received a fine from the creditor - almost 100 thousand euros.
Now the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation has become interested in Kaliningrad water. The other day she completed her inspection of Vodokanal, as a result of which she recognized the use of the loan funds as ineffective. “The price of the project for the reconstruction of the water supply system and environmental protection of Kaliningrad has increased from 56.8 million to 123 million US dollars,” the press service of the city administration told Vremya Novostey.
It follows from the inspection report that the delay in implementing the project led to a deterioration in the condition of unfinished facilities and an increase in the cost of work and equipment. “A corresponding submission signed by Sergei Stepashin has been sent to the government of the country. No misuse of funds was identified. However, the difference in price will have to be paid from the federal budget,” the agency’s interlocutor emphasized.
Let us explain that within the framework of the project, which has already become the talk of the town in Kaliningrad, a very large amount of work is expected to be carried out. In particular, to triple the capacity of the Eastern Waterworks Station, reconstruct the Moscow Pumping Station, build a new clean water reservoir, complete the construction of a collector, sewage treatment facilities and the main pumping station. This will take more than two years. Of course, provided that there are no more problems with credit money. But the current director of Vodokanal, Sergei Krapivin, clearly takes the “correct” position in relation to the loan. “In our opinion, the Accounts Chamber has placed all the emphasis correctly. We hope that the results of the inspection will give us additional impetus and will allow us to implement the project for reconstructing the water supply and sewerage system as soon as possible,” he told Vremya Novostey.