MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Restructuring of the servicemen's allowances system with simultaneous abolition of some privileges did not result in a substantial improvement of their social and economic situation, a competent source in the Russian Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Saturday.
"Analysis of consequences of abolishing a series of servicemen's privileges and compensations connected with the restructuring of the monetary allowance system confirms that no substantial increase in the social and economic situation of servicemen and their family members has been registered in2002- 2003. Social reforms have got a mixed response in military units," the source said.
Results of monitoring of the psychological situation in the Russian Armed Forces show that the overwhelming majority of polled servicemen disapproved of the abolition of their main privileges, including the 50-percent discount on rent and utilities. "They were concerned that rent and utilities might rise dramatically, which is just what has happened," the source said.
An increase in servicemen's salaries accompanied by abolition of basic privileges and compensations resulted in just a slight increase in the total income of their families, he noted.
"An average increase amounted to RUB640 (USD21.1) per month per professional servicemen of the Armed Forces. The figure does not include rent and utilities. If last year's inflation is taken into account, the increase amounts to only RUB573 (USD18.9) per month," the source noted.
According to experts, ongoing inflation and growing rent may effectively reduce to zero the social effect of the salary reform.
Up to 24 percent of servicemen's families have had to ask for subsidies to pay their rent and utilities in 2003, the source went on.
The prestige of military service continues to fall, he said. In particular, the number of officers willing to continue military service has declined by five percent in comparison with 2001. Servicemen's families are still impoverished. As a result, the number of bachelors among junior officers increased to 46 percent in 2002 from 36 percent in 2001. Bachelors amount to 51 percent among lieutenants and senior lieutenants. According to the source, the number of children in an officer's family has also declined. The average figure fell to 0.5 per family in late 2002, from 0.8 per family in 2001.
"Complicated social and economic situation of officer's family have brought about a more than 200-percent increase in the number of employed wives of young officers within a year," the source said.
The number of servicemen without their own apartments is also growing. It amounted to nearly 93,000 as of January 1, 2003. "The share of servicemen's families having permanent housing is in decline, and the share of families having service apartments is on the rise," the source said.