Vladimir Putin: сorruption, cronyism in southern Russia outrageous

Russian President Vladimir Putin has angrily criticized Russia’s southern regions for what he described as corruption and cronyism.

“One of the most acute questions is inactivity, red-tape and excessive control in the business life of many regions of the southern federal district. Administrative intervention is out of proportion, local markets are monopolized, closed to any activity from the outside, the local authorities are often used as a tool of unfair competition and are vulnerable to corruption,” Putin said at a conference of the regional leaders of the Southern Federal District, “This is a problem present not only in the South, but elsewhere in the country, but I would like to draw special attention to the situation in the South.” (Itar-Tass reported).