08.09.2011
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Photo: Black Sea Fleet ships at Russian Navy Day Parade 2011.
The draft bill adopted on Sept 7 by Moscow City Council cuts down spending for budget items inherited from ex-mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov. In particular, it was decided to cut off financing of Black Sea Fleet. Consequently, the
Moscow-Sevastopol Foundation which is the program executor has lost RUR 70.6 mln planned in 2011. Amendments were adopted after three readings and "without debates", reports
Kommersant.
The funds for the program were "spent ineffectively" and were appropriated "in a very crooked way", commented Vera Chistova, the head of Moscow Department of Finance. She added that Russian defense ministry has "quite enough funds to support servicemen in Sevastopol".
Current Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated in Aug 2011 that "for the city, there is no sense in financing of armed forces".
Recall that the
Moscow-Sevastopol Foundation was established on the initiative of Moscow Government in Oct 1994 with the purpose to preserve Black Sea Fleet after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Triennial grants were appropriated for construction of schools for Russian servicemen's children in Sevastopol, repairing of barracks, assistance to veterans, construction of dwelling for the fleet's personnel, medical services for servicemen and their families.
