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Medvedev visits Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors

Medvedev said salaries must be raised to at least an equivalent of 1,000 dollars

DIMITROVGRAD, September 26 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is on a working trip to the Ulyanovsk region, visited on Monday the Scientific Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors in Dimitrovgrad familiarize himself with state-of-the-art developments in nuclear engineering.

Institute’s Director Vladimir Troyanov told the president how its scientists solve the important problem of nuclear waste disposal. The head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), Sergei Kiriyenko, discussed with the president the idea to set up an international research centre in Dimitrovgrad on the basis of the institute. Medvedev asked him what is necessary to do for that.

“First of all, infrastructure is needed. In October we will hold a scientific conference with participation of 18 countries, including the USA, which are seriously interested in the project,” Kiriyenko said.

The president asked Troyanov about an average age of institute staffers and their salaries. Troyanov said at the moment they get on the average 18,000 roubles (about 540 U.S. dollars), while quite recently the salaries were about 6,000 roubles. The average age of staffers is 45, he said.

Medvedev said salaries must be raised to at least an equivalent of 1,000 dollars. “I think we will manage that within two years,” the head of Rosatom said.