Pension fund could raise pensions on February 1

The Russian Pension Fund has enough funds to raise pensions as early as on February 1, 2003, Pension Fund head Mikhail Zurabov reported answering a question of an RBC correspondent at a meeting with journalists today. He promised there would be no problems with increasing pensions next year. Zurabov specified that pensions should be raised on February 1, April 1 and August 1, 2003. Moreover, the official did not rule out that pensions could be increased on October 1 in the event the minimal salary goes up to 600 rubles (about $18.92).