House White and fluffy

Ministries have compiled a list of their good deeds

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov will sum up the results of the outgoing year. The White House jokingly calls it the “ten Cabinet good deeds.” And yesterday the results of the year, summed up by ministries and departments, appeared on the government website.

As usual, the two government titans - the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade - spoke the most conceptually. It is their assessments of the results of the outgoing year that can be selected by the prime minister in the top ten priorities. This includes an acceleration in economic growth rates by almost a full percent compared to last year; and a slowdown in inflation by the same one percent; and the successful conclusion of negotiations with the United States on the WTO; and closing a page in the history of Russia as a debtor to the Paris Club; and the fight against corruption; and the creation of development institutions in incredible numbers; and even demography as one of the main tasks of the cabinet.

However, a fundamental difference in outlook on economic policy as a whole also emerged. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade stands for economic development as such, and the Ministry of Finance stands for macroeconomic stability as a guarantee of development.

The prime minister may well include the good deeds of the Ministry of Social Health Development in his and, accordingly, the main government list. For example, winning in promoting the “Birth Certificate” project is worth a lot (primarily to the budget). And the Ministry of Industry and Energy can also add to the “list of good deeds” - gradual liberalization of the gas market or active state support for exports. True, Mr. Fradkov could, it seems, expect more from industrialists than simple lobbying for the interests of certain industries. But the sectoral approach is in the blood of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, as, in fact, is the Ministry of Agriculture.

The security forces described in detail how they spent budget money. It was a small surprise that the Ministry of Internal Affairs prioritized crime prevention rather than successes in the fight against terrorism. One more step, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will prioritize human rights.

Vera KUZNETSOVA