By Vestnik Kavkaza
As the Ministry for Crimean Affairs was established, the integration of the new constituent of the federation into Russian economy will be provided on an on-going basis, Igor Slyunayev, the Minister for Regional Development of Russia, said. Moreover, a special economic zone in Crimea is being discussed at the moment.
Andrey Isayev, the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans’ Affairs, thinks that residents of Crimea will benefit from joining Russia, from the social point of view: “Social systems of Ukraine and Russia are so different, that a serious work is needed to adapt it.
The work of the first level, which is provided by our colleagues from the Ministry of Labour and Social Defense, the Pension Fund, the Social Insurance Fund, is a work on inventory control of already existing liabilities to citizens of Crimes. People should get benefits, pensions, payments, and guarantees, according to the Ukrainian laws, till Crimea completely turns to Russian defense mechanisms.
The second level includes preparation for shifting to Russian laws. The processes fortunately coincides with the fact that several Russian social laws begin their operation on January 1st, 2015: pension laws, a law on social services, a law on special appraisal of jobs, which corrects issues with social insurance and labor legislation. Crimea will join the Russian legislation, when it has already been changed, according to previously made decisions.”
Isayev noted that there could be difficulties: “Kiev won’t give us data bases. The bases are being restored by local administrative bodies, local pension agencies which exist in Kiev and Sevastopol.”
The lawmaker says the system of social assistance is much better developed in Russia than in Ukraine: “It covers more categories, for example, the Great Patriotic War disabled veterans. In Ukraine they are not separated into a special category and belong to the category of “person disabled as a result of war injuries.” So, we need to develop a register which would meet our Russian standards.
In Russia minimum statutory monthly pay is 5554 rubles; and we often criticize the government for the pay is so small. According to the Constitution of Russia any citizen has a right to get no less than the sum. However, the sum is almost an average salary in Crimea and Sevastopol. If tomorrow we launch the standard in Crimea and Sevastopol, we will bring to ruin many small businesses. However, social laws are taken not to create obstacles, but to improve the situation. So, we will have to undergo a transitional period for a gradual approach of minimum monthly pay in Crimea and Sevastopol to the all-Russian level.”
