Audit Chamber says Chukotka bankrupt

The Russian Audit Chamber has found the Chukot Autonomous Area bankrupt after having audited the region, Audit Chamber auditor Sergey Ryabukhin declared at a news conference today. According to him, Chukotka's state debt was 9.3bn rubles (about $320m) on January 1, 2004, which was more than 2.5 times higher than the region's revenues that were 3.9bn rubles (about $134m) on January 1. Debts on a "gold credit" were 6.2bn rubles (about $213m) including fines.

Ryabukhin reiterated that the region received 15.8 tons of gold ($190m) in credits in 1994. According to budget legislation, debts must not exceed the amount of a region's own resources. Thus, the conclusion is that the region is bankrupt, he specified.