MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax-AVN) - Colonel General Alexander Belousov, Russia's First Deputy Defense Minister, said that no indexing of monetary allowances is envisaged for the military in 2005.
"No inflation-related indexing of servicemen's allowances was made in 2004, although it was in plans in accordance with the laws in effect. And it is not going to be made this year either. The prices will expectedly grow by 25 percent in 2005," Belousov said during the military and scientific conference at the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.
The general added that this will undoubtedly reduce the social security of the military.
"This happens against the background of the government's pledges to raise that wages of state servicemen by 30 percent in 2005," he said.
According to Belousov, the living standards of the military leave much to be desired. "It is true in regard to the monetary allowances, accommodation and medical support. Over 34% of families of the military have per capita income below the poverty line," he stressed.
He also said that about 90,000 servicemen have no permanent accommodations, while another 45,000 do not have even service flats.