The City Duma works for speed – Newspaper Kommersant No. 204 (7405) dated 11/02/2022

Chairman of the Moscow City Duma (MGD) Alexei Shaposhnikov on Tuesday proposed to adopt the capital’s budget at one meeting in three readings at once and without amendments, citing “unprecedented sanctions pressure” and “financial blockade.” The initiative was supported by United Russia (ER), the pro-mayor association My Moscow, and the Just Russia-For Truth (SRZP) faction, which initially insisted on revising the budget in favor of the mobilized. Yabloko, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and independent deputies criticized the speaker’s idea, seeing no reason for the urgent adoption of the law, but remained in the minority.

The draft budget of Moscow for 2023 and the planning period of 2024-2025 were considered by the deputies on November 1 at a meeting of the Moscow State Duma commission on economic and social policy. It was assumed that the commission would recommend adopting the draft in the first reading on November 2, after which other specialized commissions would study the budget, and the factions would prepare their amendments for the second reading. Oppositionists interviewed by Kommersant on the eve of the commission’s meeting said that they continue to get acquainted with the project and the public reaction to it, but have not yet begun to prepare amendments, hoping that they will have about two weeks to do this. Therefore, the proposal of the chairman of the Moscow State Duma Alexei Shaposhnikov (ER) to support the position of the majority in the person of ER, SRZP and My Moscow and approve the budget in three readings at once and without amendments clearly took them by surprise.

The speaker explained his initiative by “unprecedented sanctions pressure, rupture of economic ties”, “financial blockade and other openly hostile actions”, which impose “a higher degree of responsibility on the heads of regions” and require “greater concentration and consolidation of efforts” for the sake of “the well-being of Muscovites”. Under the current conditions, the budget law “should not serve as a pretext for demonstrating one’s ambitions and narrow party interests,” United Russia noted.

Head of the Moscow Department of Finance Elena Zyabbarova, supporting Mr. Shaposhnikov, reported that under the influence of sanctions, the percentage of revenues to the budget decreased, but the decline was partially offset by anti-crisis measures. The department predicts the growth of the capital budget revenues from 3.7 trillion rubles. in 2023 to 4.3 trillion rubles. in 2025. Ms. Zyabbarova noted that half of the spending will still go to social needs, specifying that from 2023 to 2025, the total budget costs, according to the department, will increase from 4.1 trillion to 4.3 trillion rubles. According to the table she showed, among state programs, health care, transport and social support for residents will become leaders in terms of costs, and Sports of Moscow, Safe City and Urban Policy will be outsiders.

When the reports were over, the opposition took the floor. Ekaterina Engalycheva (KPRF) said that two months were left before the beginning of 2023 and there was enough time to discuss and adjust the budget, deputies could consider the budget in committees, ask questions in each area, and make amendments. The communist’s arguments were supported by representatives of Yabloko and independent deputies. Mikhail Timonov (SRZP), who was ousted from the post of leader of the faction after he did not support the budget in 2019, this time said that, unlike the other two members of the faction, he could not approve it without amendments and discussion. Nevertheless, the commission decided by a majority of votes to recommend the Moscow State Duma to support the draft budget on November 2 in three readings at once. The commission’s conclusion does not say anything about the procedure for considering the document and possible amendments.

The oppositionists interviewed by Kommersant said that in any case they would prepare their amendments for the meeting on November 2, even if they had to work on them all night, although they doubt that their position would be heard.

Kira Heifetz