MOSCOW. Nov 16 (Interfax-AVN) - About four percent of commanders of the Federal Border Guard Service's military units believe in the favourable outcome of the servicemen's salary reform, a spokesman for the service's financial department told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
The service obtained the information by conducting a poll among the commanders, who were asked to comment on the salary reform and the planned abolition of a part of servicemen's benefits and compensations.
Over 65 percent of the commanders believe that the financial situation of their subordinates would worsen as a result of the reform, the spokesman said. The overwhelming majority of officers believe that the only way out is to establish guaranteed monetary allowances that would enable servicemen to get by without benefits, he stressed.
Social protection measures envisaged by amendments to the laws on servicemen's salaries and benefits that are to take effect on July 1, 2002, will not improve the military's financial situation given the planned inflation rate of 24 percent, the spokesman went on.
An analysis shows that the monthly salary of a lieutenant who commands a platoon will make RUB3,800 (USD127.35), a captain in charge of a border picket will be paid RUB4,600 (USD154.16) and a colonel commanding a border guard detachment RUB6,900 (USD231.23). The figures take into account salaries paid to servicemen after the income tax is withheld.
After paying in full for housing and utilities the servicemen's income will fall by RUB350-450 (USD11.73-15.08).