The Federation Council switched to cash

The United Russia bill, which secures the exclusive right to deliver cash pensions to the Russian Post, was unexpectedly sharply criticized by senators on Tuesday. Members of the profile committee of the Federation Council (SF) on social policy saw in the amendments a violation of antitrust laws and the constitutional rights of pensioners, and the company itself was accused of inefficiency. However, this did not prevent them from recommending the upper house to approve the document.

On Tuesday, the committees of the Federation Council discussed a number of draft laws, which were simultaneously adopted by the State Duma in the third reading. Among them was the initiative of the head of the Duma Committee on Information Policy Alexander Khinshtein, the first vice-speaker of the Federation Council Andrey Turchak and the deputy chairman of the upper house Nikolai Zhuravlev (all United Russia), establishing the monopoly of the Russian Post on the delivery of pensions in cash. According to the law “On insurance pensions”, a citizen can receive money to a bank account or by delivery at home or at the cash desk, and cash delivery at the request of the pensioner is carried out by mail “and other organizations.” In the new edition of the law, there will no longer be an addition about “others”.

Vyacheslav Zablotsky, Acting Director of the Department of State Policy in the Sphere of Pensions of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, presented the amendments to the members of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy. He briefly noted that the document would make it possible to financially support the Russian Post, ensure “guaranteed and uninterrupted delivery of pensions”, and also minimize costs in hard-to-reach areas. The government supported the bill in a consolidated manner, the official stressed.

“The main factor that drives this issue, the main reason is the order of the president, and the measures that are aimed at supporting the state company Post of Russia, which is currently in a rather difficult situation,” the adviser to the general director of Russian Post spoke next. Alan Kozonov. – I hope we will get some support from your side.

Senators, however, were surprised by this approach. “According to my feelings, the bill is primarily aimed at the delivery of pensions for those who receive it through the Russian Post. I think it is right to place the accents in this way,” said the head of the committee, Inna Svyatenko. “It is clear that this is (support for Russian Post.— “b”) is one of the reasons, but we first of all consider that our pensioners have everything stably, reliably and on time, right? And that you guarantee it. And then about the fact that you are in great need of such money, ”advisingly added the first deputy chairman of the committee, Alexander Varfolomeev.

According to the authors of the project, 11.9 million Russians receive their pensions in cash, of which 10.4 million already use the services of the Russian Post. Alternative deliveries serve only 1.5 million retirees (13%), but they operate primarily in urban areas where costs are minimal. The “burden” of hard-to-reach territories falls on the shoulders of the state-owned company. United Russia is sure that the exclusion of private traders from the market will seriously help the Russian Post, while nothing will change for the pensioners themselves: the delivery rate is 1.17%, regardless of the contractor.

“You don’t think that we are infringing on the constitutional rights of 1.5 million people who have the right to choose (how to receive money.— “b”)? – Deputy head of the committee Mohmad Akhmadov took the floor. – Hundreds of thousands of applications from these pensioners were submitted to the State Duma and the Federation Council. Is it really because the Russian Post is not working well that we should punish them? If the services of the Russian Post were better, then the pensioners themselves would return there.” The Chechen senator also stated that he had the conclusion of the Prosecutor General’s Office, according to which the bill was contrary to the Constitution: “Do you understand that a pensioner will sue and win?”

Representatives of the post office and the Ministry of Labor tried to convince Mr. Akhmadov that if the bill was supported by the government, then there were no violations of the constitutional or antimonopoly laws, but this did not stop the senator. Referring to the experience of working as the Minister of Labor of Chechnya, he said that post offices impose the purchase of household goods, and the state-owned company itself cannot cope with the delivery of money to the mountainous regions: “That is why the delivery men appeared.”

Senator Elena Bibikova supported her colleague, saying that private traders work only in 19 regions, but the Pension Fund has not received any complaints against them. She also expressed concern about the employment of about 5 thousand people employed in this area. “The delivery man receives 20-25 thousand rubles, you think he will go for 8-10 thousand rubles. in the mail?” Mokhmad Akhmadov echoed her.

“Can you work in a competitive environment without hiding behind the back of the government? What is stopping you from providing higher wages yourself, creating conditions for people? Maybe it is worth reconsidering the managerial potential at the Russian Post? Senator Sergei Gornyakov put in his five cents. And Alexander Varfolomeev summed up that “apparently, there is no order inside the Post of Russia”: “Honestly, you can’t work like that. You’ve proven yourself so well that we doubt you’ll be up to it.”

Representatives of Russian Post responded to all critical attacks that they would strive to make the company “more competitive”. The discussion was completed by Inna Svyatenko, who stated that now it is necessary “to exercise control over the activities of the Russian Post”. “The look will be very close. We hope that you will do a quality job and the excesses on the ground – about imposed services – will stop, ”the senator said. After that, the committee recommended the bill for adoption. Mohmad Akhmadov voted against.

Andrew Ashes