Dagestani minister's words about low food prices spark criticism in social network

Dagestan has the lowest food prices in Russia, Battal Battalov, the acting head of the region's Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs, has stated. In response, Instagram users have noted that people's earnings in the republic are one of the lowest in the country and unstable, while utility tariffs are high.

On December 18, the Acting Minister Battal Battalov visited an agricultural fair in Makhachkala; he toured the shopping arcade, talked with agricultural producers and buyers, his Ministry wrote on its website on December 18. "Crisis phenomena are observed all over the world; and they affect prices, but Dagestan has the lowest food prices in the country," Mr Battalov has stated in the post.

The entry with Battalov's words appeared on December 20 in the page mkala_ on the Instagram public. In their comments, most of social network users spoke negatively.

"Oh, funny, but he doesn't go to marketplaces or stores for shopping," the user abidat12124757 has written. "In my opinion, our minister has forgotten that our salaries are 12,000 [roubles per month], while utility tariffs and taxes are high. The minister decided to make people laugh on New Year's Eve," the user afina_andelin has noted. "You try to live on the 8,000 pension and pay for utilities; then, you'll see how low prices are. Of course, the well-fed will never understand the hungry one," the user b.z.m_001 has stated.

"He should have added that salaries are the lowest in the country," the user 37_xzxz has emphasized. "And we have no stable employment; let them open factories for us to have jobs," the user ___g.renat___1.9.9.9 has demanded.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 21, 2021 at 08:42 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.