Budget expenditures on civil defence to triple in 2003

Federal budget expenditures on civil defence will triple in 2003, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov stated Wednesday speaking at the national assembly of the leading staff of the Emergencies Ministry.

Summing up the results of the year Kasyanov noted that a single system for liquidation of sequels of emergency situations in this country managed to fulfil its tasks both inside the country and beyond it.

At the same time, the government's responsibility for security of citizens continues growing since international terrorism "made the border between war and peace transparent," Mikhail Kasyanov said.