Deputy of Sverdlovsk Region Duma Georgy Persky obtained some detailed information on how the 300m RUR allocated from the region’s budget to prepare Yekaterinburg’s application for hosting the World Universal Exhibition EXPO 2020 will be spent.

Now the sum in question is to come from the redistribution of Mid-Urals’ Development Corporation’s budget.

11m is allocated for the official announcement of joining the application process. This figure covers professional advice and coordination on all the papers involved, the analysis of the earlier experience, and some events for the press. In plain Russian, this means a little paper work and a couple of press conferences,’ the deputy writes in his blog.

A BIE inspection to see whether the application is properly backed up: that comes to 20m. The stated expenses are pure and simple: organization costs and preparation of presentations. How many people will actually arrive from BIE? One? Three? Five? How many receptions can one organize with this money? And how many orphans still haven’t received the housing that they are legally entitled to?’ Persky wonders.

Project management, coordination costs, consultants’ fees – all this boils down to 31m. This means this money goes directly to the good guys from IRP Group and Formika to make up for all their hard work,’ the deputy says.

And now the juiciest piece of pie, the 238m. This is intended for preparing for the inspecting committees’ arrival and a detailed project of how the exhibition will be organized. This money could buy over a hundred studios for the needy, yet it will be spent on projects, strategies, and concepts, that is, on paper – again. And the value of these papers looks rather doubtful just yet,’ Persky notes.