Russian state officials to be fined for inaccurate speech

Russian Ministry of Mass Communications has come out with an unexpected initiative.

Photo: Russian state officials to be fined for inaccurate speech

It prepared the amendments to the legislation which will allow to fine state officials for inaccurate speech.

If officials pronounce something incorrectly they will have to pay fines in favour of the state. The fines are negotiable. However, state officials will be punished only for the mistakes made in TV and radio shows.

However is actually difficult to say who have more illiterate speech – state officials or journalists. According to the recent survey, carried out by Russian recruiting company HeadHunter, journalists make much more mistakes in their speech than people of other professions. Most literate are bankers and HR managers.

Will the fines male Russian state officials speak proper Russian language?

Pavel Borodin, the state secretary of the Union of Russia and Belarus:

“For what are you going to fine us? And how to work then? Nonsense. Are there any difference what language the state official speaks? And is it so important if he uses any illiterate words? The main thing here is not how he speaks but what he does.”

Alexey Leonov, the space pilot:

“This should help! It is necessary to limit people constantly. And it is also necessary that our artists and singers finally learn themselves to speak Russian, because they influence common people sometimes more than politicians.”

Victoria Tokareva, a writer:

“I do not know whether the fines will help or not, but to have such laws is necessary. Many famous people today swear a lot in everyday life and on TV. And that is absolutely inappropriate.”