Volkov: after operations in the Caucasus, MIA employees come back "different people"

As stated by retired Militia General-Major Alexei Volkov, now Chairman of the Commission of the State Duma of the Russian Federation for Legal Support of Counteracting Corruption, the law enforcers, who took part in warfare in Northern Caucasus, became "different people" and spoiled the whole system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Russia. Nevertheless, a reform of the Ministry can bring fruit in 2-5 years, if the staff is reduced and militiamen's salaries are raised.

On January 19, a conference was held in Moscow: "MIA reform: What the Ministry should look like?" In Mr Volkov's opinion, the MIA reform is a great concern of the society.

"The first and foremost - salaries should be certainly raised for OVD (Interior Division) personnel; they should be differentiated. As we say here: how they pay - so we work. Or vice versa: how we work - so they pay. Having worked for a couple of years, a militiaman looks where to change - to the prosecutor's office, the court or the customs - there, where they pay more. If he finds a place - he surely quits. The staff turnover is very high," Duma Deputy Volkov said at the conference, where the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was present.

In the opinion of the retired FSB Colonel Gennady Gudkov, Deputy Chairman of the Duma Security Committee, a radical decrease of MIA personnel is obvious today.