21 May 2004 01:11
Russian auditor defends Far East region against bankruptcy charge
[No dateline, as received] "The idea of declaring Chukotka bankrupt has no basis," Aleksandr Nazarov, an
auditor at the Russian Audit Chamber and a former head of the Chukotka Autonomous Area, told Ekho Moskvy radio
today.
Nazarov called the statement by Audit Chamber member Sergey Ryabukhin that Chukotka was effectively bankrupt
"incorrect and wrong". "We corrected him at our meeting," Nazarov said.
The question of returning so-called "gold loans" taken out by Chukotka is "purely technical",
Nazarov said. [Passage omitted: details of loan repayments]
As for "the improper use of tax incentives introduced in Chukotka, no instances of this were discovered during
the Audit Chamber's check," Nazarov said. [Passage omitted: details of check]
In any case, Nazarov said, the results of the audit of Chukotka should not result in regional governor [tycoon and
Chelsea Football Club owner] Roman Abramovich being removed from his office.
Nazarov said that Abramovich "is carrying out the functions of governor and fulfilling Chukotka's
budget". "All emotions present in society should be viewed differently: if there is evidence against him
personally, that is another matter, it is outside the Audit Chamber's remit," Nazarov said. "We had
concerns about him in the role of governor, but these were addressed."
[Ekho Moskvy news agency] |
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