Audit Chamber Uncovers Misspending in Chechnya

The Russian Audit Chamber has uncovered misspending of 366 million rubles (some 11 million euros) in Chechnya, Chamber's Head Sergei Stepashin said in Grozny on Friday.

According to him, the Government gave the money in question to the republic for rebuilding social services. The Audit Chamber has revealed that 21 million rubles out of the total 366 million were misappropriated. "The facts have been established and the necessary documents will soon be handed over to the prosecutor's office," Stepashin pointed out.

Chechnya's 2002 budget was executed in full, he said. At the same time, according to Stepashin, in many cases money was not spent wisely, but "was spread all over the republic." On Friday, the head of the Audit Chamber arrived in Grozny to hold the department's first field check-up to see how the federal target program for the reconstruction of Chechnya is being implemented.

Stepashin is being assisted by Head of the Chechen Administration Ahmad Kadyrov and the republic's Cabinet members.