Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Petr Sumin held a cabinet meeting on August 6, 2007. The Governor discussed the results of the previous week’s activity with his deputies and offered an action plan for the upcoming days. Among the previous week’s highlights were the successful negotiations with the management of Rosspirtprom Federal State Unitary Enterprise regarding retention of distilleries in Petropavlovsk and Tyubuk. Governor Petr Sumin and Rosspirtprom’s General Director Igor Chuyan decided they needed an ad hoc committee that would draw up a plan on launching alcohol production at all of Chelyabinsk Region’s distilleries. ‘The days when distilleries used to be looted and closed down are gone. We are very grateful to local people and everyone who helped us to keep these companies,’ the Governor said.

The regional Ministry of Finance is expected to come up with a budget project for 2008 and have it considered by the Governor. The first public hearings of the project will probably take place next week, with the preliminary approval to be made by the government on August 15, 2007. The project will be considered by the region’s legislative chamber at the end of August, with all the remaining details and adoptions to be worked through in September, which gives the local executive bodies and municipalities enough time to get ready for the new fiscal year.

The Minister of Finance Victoria Golubtsova reported the public sector salaries were to be raised: the region’s teachers, doctors, and people employed in the sports and culture sectors will be getting 15% more money beginning from September 1, 2007, the spokesperson for the Governor reports.