Medvedev banned the state procurement of foreign cars

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a resolution providing for a ban on state and municipal purchases of foreign cars. It is reported by RIA "Novosti"

"Thus, I hope this will help to comply with the necessary balance in the market and, ultimately, will contribute to better satisfaction in such conditions," Medvedev said at a meeting with deputy prime ministers.

In July 2013, more than 100 thousand signatures were collected on the website of the Russian Public Initiative on the proposal of Alexei Navalny to limit the right of officials, state corporations and companies under state control to buy cars worth more than 1.5 million rubles. After that, an expert working group was created to consider the initiative.

On September 23, the Minister of Open Government, the head of the expert working group, Mikhail Abyzov, did not rule out that part of the officials would be completelyrefused the right to use the service car . According to him, in 2014-2016, procurement costs are reduced by 5 percent. "In connection with the decision of the government to cut a number of budget expenditures, a reduction in expenses to provide cars to the government apparatus has already begun," he said.

The expert group recommended the Cabinet of Ministers to consider limiting the cost of official cars for civil servants. In addition, it is proposed to study the possibility of "partial monetization of transport services for a number of officials." "But, perhaps, the government will go further - the issue of complete refusal is considered to certain categories of civil servants in motor transport support," Abyzov said. According to him, with the entry into force of the Law "On the contract in the field of procurement", it is possible to establish more stringent restrictions on the maximum cost of service cars for civil servants - up to 1.2 million rubles.

In February, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Federal Antimonopoly Service stated that in general they did not mind restricting the cost of cars for officials. However, in departments these measures are considered insufficient. It is necessary to normalize not only the maximum price of the goods, but also natural indicators. For each product, such parameters must be established that are really necessary to fulfill the official duties of the official.

The FAS also believes that this issue must be considered "as part of the preparation of the draft government decree, which will regulate not only the marginal value of the purchased goods, but also establish requirements for it in order to prevent the purchase of luxury items with officials."