Sochi pensioners criticize authorities for restricting issuance of preferential public transport tickets

In the Krasnodar Territory, the return of privileged public transport fare did not affect the pensioners, whose pensions exceed the need criterion defined at 15,400 roubles per month. Sochi retirees argue that this level is too high, and the transport costs will be a blow to their family budgets.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 27, after pensioners' protests, Deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnodar Territory approved the bill on the return of a number of transport benefits. These changes will take effect from 1 February.

The 76-year-old pensioner and Leningrad blockade victim Nina Palchik said that the authorities have failed to fulfil their promise to return transport benefits.

Ivan Novikov, a disabled person and a war and labour veteran, is also dissatisfied with the decision of the authorities, which is, according to his version, too complicated for pensioners' understanding.

On January 15, the faction of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) at the Legislative Assembly addressed their letter to the Governor demanding to return earlier benefits, as pensioners' had demanded during their protests, said Yuri Dzaganiya, an assistant to Sergey Obukhov, a Russian State Duma MP.

Along with that, he noted that on January 27 all five Deputies from the CPRF at the Legislative Assembly voted for the Governor's bill, believing that "depriving citizens of even inadequate measure of returning benefits is impossible during economically hard times."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.