interestrateripoff Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31657633 Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that the salaries of his staff are to be cut by 10%. The move follows a proposal to slash 10% from MPs' salaries and ministry spending, and to use billions of dollars from an emergency fund. Russia's economy has been badly hit by low oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's role in Ukraine's crisis. It was not clear when the cuts would come into effect, and whether they would cover Mr Putin's own pay. The move is presumably meant to set an example, as Russia enters difficult economic times, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow reports. It is all part of a broader austerity drive, she says, as Russia's income has shrunk along with the falling oil price. Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict are also biting. As he's supposedly amassed a large personal fortune I guess he could make the token jesture of cutting his own salary by 10%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blod Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I understand that he finds it difficult to tell the difference his wealth and that of the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikhail Liebenstein Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 That said, the UK Government needs to do this too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sPinwheel Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 That said, the UK Government needs to do this too. Didnt realise we were paying Putins staff too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Didnt realise we were paying Putins staff too. You may joke, but I expect there's a high likelihood someone on Putin's staff is on our payroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damik Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I understand that he finds it difficult to tell the difference his wealth and that of the state. Putin also does not know where the borders of Russia are ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyguy Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Looks like he's saved on a mayor's wages too. That's a 100% cut. I guess we'll never know whether this was actually directed or just a 'troublesome priest' moment. I think Putin knows full well where Russia borders are. He also knows where he'd like his buffer zones. Problem is the EU does not. And the US is whispering it its ear. EUs move East can be seen as a positive movement, trying to bring liberal democracy to the ravaged East. Or the move East can be seen as a stupid EU act trying to get desperate people to buy into a failing political currency. The EU's desire to spread wealth and liberalism does not seem to stretch to doing the easiest, most productive things - scrapping agricultural subsidies and letting the near East and North Africa/Med basin trade in agri goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Looks like he's saved on a mayor's wages too. That's a 100% cut. I guess we'll never know whether this was actually directed or just a 'troublesome priest' moment. I think Putin knows full well where Russia borders are. He also knows where he'd like his buffer zones. Problem is the EU does not. And the US is whispering it its ear. EUs move East can be seen as a positive movement, trying to bring liberal democracy to the ravaged East. Or the move East can be seen as a stupid EU act trying to get desperate people to buy into a failing political currency. The EU's desire to spread wealth and liberalism does not seem to stretch to doing the easiest, most productive things - scrapping agricultural subsidies and letting the near East and North Africa/Med basin trade in agri goods. Ukraine had a go at democracy. But they elected a president who was unacceptable to the west, so he had to be deposed with the aid of western sympathisers in the capital. The Orange revolution may have been peaceful, but when the whole thing happened all over again (after years of being a complete basketcase under Orange rule), it's hardly surprising that people deprived of their democratically elected leader declined to take it lying down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copydude Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Ukraine had a go at democracy. But they elected a president who was unacceptable to the west, so he had to be deposed with the aid of western sympathisers in the capital. Ukraine is still like Russia in the 90s . . . run by a lot of totally corrupt oligarchs. Oh, and you can still buy votes in Ukraine . . . Yanukovich stole left and right . . . some say as much as a quarter of the country's GDP . . . the Maidan was essentially hi-jacked. There is no doubt that it began as a very popular uprising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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