In Chechnya, "Spetsstroy" bosses promise to pay wage debts to workers

In the coming days, the employees of the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) "Spetsstroy of the Ministry of Construction of the Chechen Republic" will receive their salary debts. This was stated by Director General Bibeisar Yusupov. Local officials assert that the debts were left by the "Spetsstroy of Russia", which was engaged in restoration works in the republic before 2007. However, the officials of the latter do not feel guilty of the situation with wage debts.

Let us remind you that employees of the "Spetsstroy" complained of not receiving salaries for four months. "We are told that Moscow has not transferred money; and they have nothing to pay to us," said one of the builders.

Bibeisar Yusupov argues that, despite the existing difficulties with financing, the workers are paid on a regular basis. "We manage to seek money; we take loans, but try to pay our employees," Director General told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

On November 8, the Ministry of Housing-Communal Services and Construction of Chechnya settled accounts with the "Spetsstroy" for the amount of works performed by the employees of the organization for two months. "We received a large sum of money; the procedure of paying salaries continues," Bibeisar Yusupov has assured.

Aslan Malsagov, Director of the Construction Department of the above Ministry, asserts that "Spetsstroy" employees are promptly paid for the current volume of works performed under the federal programme. "The debts remained after the Federal SUE 'Construction Department (USS) No. 42 of the Spetsstroy of Russia' moved out of the republic in 2007," said Aslan Malsagov.

"The work was done; a commission of the Federal Housing-Communal Agency arrived, made an inventory, confirmed the existing debts and left, having promised settle the issue of financing," he added.

According to the official, the debts are already gradually repaid. "But to date, the remaining amount is more than 11 billion roubles for the works fulfilled in 2006-2007. Since then, the federal centre has failed to liquidate the whole debt," said Malsagov.

According to his version, the workers of the enterprise keep writing about this problem to the Russian president and Prime Minister; however, the letters are sent back for consideration of the local government.

The "Spetsstroy of Russia" did not confirm the information about any debts left in Chechnya.

Dmitri Krichevtsov, head of the press service of the above FSUE USS-42, has stressed that "should it be his personal debt, he should have paid long ago. For the organization this money is a drop in the ocean. Maybe, some particular individuals do it deliberately to evade responsibility and to sow mess and confusion."

Meanwhile, one of the workers of the "Spetsstroy" told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about the employees' intention to pass over to more decisive actions, if the promises of their bosses to pay the debts remain unfulfilled once again. "We'll just not go out to work," he said.