The Minister of Finance in North Ossetia, Oleg Kalayev, explained the
perspectives in the financial sphere to journalists. VK correspondent
in Vladikavkaz Tamara Buntury highlights the most interesting trends.
-What relations does North Ossetia have with large banks, particularly
with VTB, which granted a 1.5 billion ruble credit line to the
republic?
-We have a new scheme of relations with the bank. It will invest
specifically in projects presented for its expertise. We have an
agreement with the bank's head, we repay the loan and take out new
credit, paying the interest on the credit, and 500 million is an
'expansion' of the credit limit,which we will use to cover the
deficit.
-Will small and medium businesses be supported? Will the wage scale for state employees be cancelled?
-We will continue to actively support small business. Last year we
helped it by spending 150 million rubles, this year we are planning to
spend 600 million, and in the future we hope to reach a billion. As
for results, approximately 50 small business organizations received
real state support for their development last year. However, state
employees have nothing to rejoice about: the wage index, which is the
basis on which wages are calculated, will not be cancelled until at
least 2012, due to lack of funding. We spent 300 million rubles just
adopting the new wage system.
-At a recent meeting in Vladikavkaz the president's ambassador in the
North Caucasus Federal District, Alexander Khloponin, had doubts about
allocations of the republic's leading organizations to the government.
What does North Ossetia get from alcohol and vodka excise taxes?
- There have been times when excise taxes formed one fourth of the
budget. That is now history, and the dynamics remain negative. The
excise tax contribution is only 5%. We never had budget-setting
enterprises, which is probably a good thing. 'Istok' and 'Electrocink'
gave an 8% part of their income . Besides it's own problems, 'Istok'
has problems with the country's alcohol market. As for 'Electrocink'
(it was one of the most advanced factories of its kind in Soviet
times, today it is accused of absolute nonconformance with ecological
standards, - VK note), last year was it's worst. But today we can see
it recovering on the zinc and lead markets, and a resulting rise in
prices. In 2009 200 million rubles were received, a vital sum for the
republic. Income tax from the thousands of people who work in the
factory also plays a role.
State allowances to federal subjects are common practice. The federal
'boost' to North Ossetia last year was 63%, including investment in
various special-purpose programmes. If we compare the state of affairs
throughout the North Caucasus Federal District republics, the only
republic where the situation is a little bit better is
Kabardino-Balkaria.
-How will "Alania" football club be financed?
-The Parliament of North Ossetia decided to halve the sum of 280
million rubles, which had been allocated for the clubs upkeep, the
money saved will be used to develop investment programmes.
Tamara Buntury, Vladikavkaz. Exclusively for VK
