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Russian government may raise funding of communications service in 2015

The amendment to increase the funding by $2.68 million was submitted by deputies of the State Duma

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/. The Russian government may increase funding of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media by $2.68 million in 2015, Leonid Levin, chairman of the State Duma’s information policy committee, said Thursday.

The corresponding amendment to the 2015 draft budget was submitted by deputies of the State Duma, the parliament’s lower house.

Levin said the initiative was supported by representatives of the Finance Ministry and the Communications and Mass Media Ministry.

“We hope that this (funding of the service) will take place thanks to the redistribution of financial resources and personnel of the liquidated Regional Development Ministry, the Federal Service for Defense Contracts and the Federal Agency for Weaponry, Military and Special Equipment and Material Facilities Procurement. We handed over the amendment; the budget committee will consider it. We believe it will be supported,” Levin said.

Inna Ilyina, a representative of the service, said earlier that the watchdog needs extra $2.68 million to employ more staff because of an expansion of its functions. She said the service had already asked the Finance Ministry for help, but was not supported.

The 2014 budget stipulates funding of the communications service to the tune of $250.2 million.