| The investment program of JSC Russian Railways will be paid for by passengers The discussion about the investment program of Russian Railways OJSC at yesterday's government meeting turned out to be unexpectedly heated. After all, ministers are also sometimes train passengers.
Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, it seems, sincerely does not understand “where is the cart and where is the horse” in the matter of reforming domestic railways. Either reduce costs, or allocate money from the budget so that the reform moves forward again. Those responsible for the “traffic speed” - Transport Minister Igor Levitin and the head of Russian Railways OJSC Vladimir Yakunin unanimously assured members of the government that postponing the creation of an independent passenger company from 2005 to 2007-2008 does not mean anything. “This does not mean that the reform has stopped,” Mr. Levitin insisted. “We’re just taking different steps along the way.”
The head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Sergei Shoigu, reacted, as he should, immediately: “It’s easier not to ask, but to get hit on the head!” (meaning the president’s Monday drubbing of the government. - Ed. ).” Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, who was considered the main opponent of allocating funds from the budget to subsidize the passenger company and passenger transportation itself, said that he had not seen any requests in this regard. Mr. Levitin tried to rein in the chief financier: they say, we presented all the figures at a meeting of the budget commission chaired by the prime minister, and you refused. “It wasn’t,” Mr. Kudrin said. -- I don't remember. We did not consider this within the three-year financial plan.”
In fact, Mr. Kudrin turned out to be not an opponent, but a supporter of subsidized passenger transportation. And I am ready to provide for such expenses in the budget already in 2007-2008. “I consider this an effective investment of budget funds. It is adequate to the tax reduction,” the chief financier emphasized. He is sorry that next year he will not be able to meet passengers halfway. Since non-interest expenses have already increased by an unprecedented amount - 700 billion rubles. Therefore, the required 37 billion rubles for the new passenger company. seem like overkill to the chief financier.
It also turned out that the head of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, Viktor Khristenko, did not see and did not coordinate with the Ministry of Transport many of the most important documents presented in the financial plan and investment program of Russian Railways for 2006-2008. “I hope that at the next stage of finalization we will be allowed to enter into the approval and consideration regime,” Mr. Khristenko noted, not without irony.
During the course of the action, the Prime Minister was only surprised: “What, are there any contraindications for the participation of the Ministry of Industry and Energy?” Mr. Levitin pointed out that he is not obliged to coordinate these documents with anyone other than the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Federal Customs Service. “The non-involvement of the Ministry of Industry and Energy is unjustified. There is no need to blindly follow the instructions,” Mr. Fradkov snapped and added angrily: “And now I understand why the president gives such instructions: to personally sort it out, to take personal responsibility!”
The call for personal responsibility immediately found a response. The head of JSC Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, came to the podium. “We are not slowing down,” Mr. Yakunin vowed. “There is no doubt about the timing or pace of reform.” “We provide growth! - continued the chief railwayman. “Neither Russian Railways nor the minister are making any attempts to shift costs to the budget.”
The prime minister perked up somewhat: “After your words, it seems that there is no appearance of blackmail, of extorting money to supposedly speed up the reform.” But here Mr. Fradkov apparently remembered reality again: “But the risks of passing on losses to the population exist.” Even today, with cross-subsidization, they are significant. The growth of passenger tariffs in 2006 is planned at 12%, tariffs for SV and compartment users - 22%, for suburban transport - 15%. All these figures more than exceed the forecast for inflation and growth in real incomes of the population. But none of the cabinet members dared to demand a reduction in these figures. After all, no money was allocated for subsidies to railway workers in the 2006 budget. Therefore, the population will pay. In fact, he still pays the same way now. Despite the fact that it only pays back 60% of the supposedly real tariff. Vera KUZNETSOVA |
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