Finance Ministry releases data on repaying wage arrears

The volume of financial aid of the government to the regions and republicsof Russia for eliminating wage arrears to state employees, amounted toRUR1.8bn (about $51.02m) in August 2002, the press service of the RussianFinance Ministry reported to RBC. The funds allotted in August, contributedto reducing wage arrears to educational employees, which was expected to godown to RUR200m (about $6.34m) by September 1, 2002.This year, the Russian Finance Ministry allocated RUR114bn to regions forpaying salary to state employees. According to preliminary regionalestimates, local budgets' wage arrears to state employees will reachRUR1.5bn (about $47.52m) as of September 1, 2002.This year, there were no cases of salary payment delay or salarynon-payment to state employees at the federal level, the Finance Ministrystressed..