On October 2, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulated the winners of the competition “The Most Comfortable City in Russia” based on the results of 2008 at a government meeting. They were Khabarovsk, Angarsk and Gelendzhik. They will be given a cash prize from the federal budget, which can be spent on the needs of the city.

“I would like to sincerely congratulate the laureates,” Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Government. He noted that the winners will be awarded cash incentives. “Probably, the very desire to take part in this competition indicates that truly active, caring people who support their city have been elected to local authorities,” the prime minister noted.

The competition "The most comfortable city in Russia" is held annually in accordance with the decree of the President of Russia of 1997. The winners are determined in three categories: the most comfortable administrative center, a city with a population of over 100 thousand, and small cities with a population of less than 100 thousand inhabitants. According to tradition, the main winner (in the first category) is announced by the Russian government. All winners receive diplomas from the Russian government - first, second and third degrees, respectively. Also, the most comfortable cities in Russia are entitled to cash bonuses of the order of several tens of millions of rubles for further improvement. The main criteria when determining the winner of the competition are the sanitary and epidemiological situation, the condition of the housing and communal services, water supply, gasification, and road networks. Previously, the title of most comfortable cities was given to, for example, Belgorod and Cheboksary.

At the meeting, the prime minister also emphasized that the priority national project “Affordable and Comfortable Housing” is under the close attention of the authorities and the federal budget monitors its financing. Putin said that in 2009, 3 billion rubles. 18 subjects of Russia that are most actively involved in the implementation of the national project will receive. The head of government also noted that on October 2 it is necessary to make a final decision on the distribution of subsidies for the construction of new roads in areas of mass housing development.

The most comfortable cities in Russia named