Russian government limits staff to 954 officials

The Russian government will not have more than 954 staff members.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov signed a resolution on the structure of the cabinet's staff, the governmental information department said on Tuesday.

According to the document, the chief of government staff will have two deputies.

The chief of government staff was given the task of ensuring the relevant guarantees and compensations to the dismissed officials in accordance with Russian law.

Dmitri Kozak, the chief of government staff, told reporters yesterday that the government staff would be cut by 20%, i.e., by 240 people.

The monthly salary of the chief of government staff is 95,000 rubles, the monthly salary of his deputies is 80,000 rubles and a department director's monthly salary is 70,000-75,000 rubles ($1 is approximately 29 rubles).

"Government salaries will be contingent on an employee's category, service record and other factors," said Mr. Kozak.

In response to a question from journalists, Mr. Kozak emphasized that spending cuts would be achieved not only through personnel cuts.

"We will economize on monthly payments, medical services, dachas, chauffeur driven cars, telephones and so on," said Mr. Kozak.

Mr. Kozak emphasized that salaries would be raised for department heads, secretariat and staff officials, as well as ordinary employees.

The government structure will be made up of 12 rather than 23 departments, according to the prime minister's resolution.

The prime minister will not have more than 15 aides.

Mr. Kozak said the government would have a concise and transparent structure and would get rid of unneeded intermediaries in decision-making.

Mikhail Kopeikin and Sergei Naryshkin have been appointed deputy chiefs of government staff, reported the information department. Mr. Fradkov has signed the relevant resolutions.

Mr. Fradkov's other resolutions appointed the chiefs of the secretariats of the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and the chief of government staff.

Mikhail Sinelin was appointed head of the prime minister's secretariat.

Andrei Krotov will head Mr. Kozak's secretariat.

Aleksei Golovkov was appointed chief of Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov's secretariat.