Shifting part of capital's functions to St. Petersburg too costly

Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov says the movement of part of capital's functions to St. Petersburg would entail major financial outlays.

"Discussions of the transfer of a part of functions are good only as discussions," he said replying to deputies' questions at a session of the St. Petersburg legislative assembly. "Before doing anything, we should ponder the pros and cons of such decision for the budget and the city. The transfer of power, in particular judicial power, which is being discussed, would entail major financial outlays."

Mironov is categorically against the transfer of legislative and executive branches from Moscow to St. Petersburg. "The legislative and executive branches of power must work in Moscow," he said. "I am categorically against the transfer of the [parliament's] houses to any city."

But he did not rule out the possibility of holding visiting sessions, in particular sessions of the Federation Council, in other cities.