01.03.09

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the government would increase social spending this year, ITAR-TASS reported.

"During the difficult time of the global financial and economic crisis, we deem it necessary to provide additional (social) guarantees for our citizens," he said at a meeting of social affairs ministers of the Council of Europe. "Despite a significant cut in (other) budget expenditures, social security in Russia will remain at an appropriate level."

Social spending will slightly rise "in absolute terms" under Russia's revised 2009 federal budget, as compared with the original budget plan, Putin said.

Additional expenses include spending on unemployment benefits, occupational training, aid for business start-ups, the creation of temporary public-sector jobs, and aid for citizens moving to other cities to get jobs, he said.

The government will also ease the taxation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide social services and will hire them to carry out some government programs, Putin said.

He went on to say that the State Duma would soon consider ratifying the European Social Charter, which guarantees citizens’ social rights.

The State Duma is the Russian parliament's lower house.

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Source: Prime-Tass