16 March 2004 16:43
Russian transport minister to cut down staff
[Presenter] New Transport and Communications Minister Igor Levitin also came to report to the president [Putin]
today. The department he took over a week ago was formed through merging three ministries, those of communications,
transport and the railways. The minister briefed the head of state about plans for making investments in the industry as
well as informed him about his first decisions with regard to the staff - the ministry staff has been cut by 65 per
cent.
[Levitin] By now, we already have this sort of preliminary composition of the ministry. It is planned to comprise 650
people.
[Putin] And where are these 600 people?
[Levitin] At the ministry itself, the merged ministry.
[Putin] How many are there in the ministry at present?
[Levitin] There are 2,300 people now.
[Putin] Two thousand and three hundred.
[Levitin] Yes, 2,300 [people].
[Putin] And you are proposing 600.
[Levitin] We are proposing 600 or 650. And by doing this we are neither influencing nor deteriorating the
technological process of transport.
[Putin] You are not deteriorating.
[Levitin] No, we are not.
[RTR Russia TV] |
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