Vladimir Putin: financing of Northern Caucasus prevents war

Limitation of financing of the North-Caucasian regions contributes to serious complications of the situation in the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and in the entire country, up to a war. This was declared by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, when he commented on the recent increase in nationalistic slogans of "Stop feeding the Caucasus."

The proposal to limit financing was also pronounced in the course of the "hot line" between Vladimir Putin and Russian citizens. Yesterday, on December 20, the Prime Minister spoke of the same topic at the meeting on the NCFD development, which took place in Gudermes in Chechnya.

"Let us ask ourselves what that means. That means that you should not invest in the republics' development, in the creation of new jobs?" said Vladimir Putin said. "However, then young people from the Northern Caucasus will even in larger number move to other, fist of all, major cities with all the problems that the movement creates. What should we do then? Force them out? But where should they go? They will replenish illegal armed formations."

According to the Prime Minister, finally, the situation will turn into armed clashes. "The fratricidal war will continue," the "ITAR-TASS" quotes Mr Putin as saying.

Vladimir Putin also commented on the "wild proposals" to separate the Caucasus from Russia. "If it happens, then, at the very moment, not even at that hour, but at that moment, some people will want to do the same with other territorial units of Russia," stated the head of the government. He has emphasized that such a scenario would lead to the collapse of the country: "It will be a tragedy that will affect every citizen of our country without exception."

The Prime Minister is confident that the Caucasus should be developed. "We should create new decent jobs here and not to stop feeding Moscow, as some members of the 'hot line' demanded. Moscow is able to feed itself and even help others," he said.

Besides, Vladimir Putin has emphasized that taxes should be imposed by the more fair method. "In particularly, it concerns large infrastructure monopolies and companies that operate all over Russia and form the tax base, their profit centre, in Moscow," the Prime Minister has explained. "Municipalities should have more tax receipts."

Vladimir Putin has also noted the importance of possibility to earn a decent salary in regions. He has reminded that the unemployment rate in the Caucasus is 2.5 times higher than the average one for Russia (14.3 percent): in Ingushetia 48.9 percent, in Chechnya 27.2 percent. "I believe that all our projects in the Caucasus will change the situation," the "RBC" quotes the Prime Minister as saying.

At the meeting in Gudermes, members of the government discussed the development prospects of the NCFD. Viktor Basargin, Minister of the Regional Development of the Russian Federation, has announced that this and next years, investment projects amounted to more than 400 billion roubles are to be implemented in the territory of the NCFD. "At present, 99 (amounted to 270 billion roubles) out of the 135 projects are being implemented, works under 36 projects amounted to 132 billion roubles will start in 2012," Viktor Basargin has added.

During the meeting, the Minister put forward a proposal to establish an integrated information system to ensure the investment activity. According to Viktor Basargin, this system will coordinate, provide an opportunity to inform participants of investment activity, to monitor all processes and will reduce administrative barriers. To create the system, Viktor Basargin suggests involving all interested organizations and the Ministry of Communications and Federal Security Service, the "Newsru.com" reports.