28 May 2020 14:00

Russian government to allocate nearly 11 bln rubles to support airports - Mishustin

MOSCOW. May 28 (Interfax) - The Russian government will allocate nearly 11 billion rubles for support of airports to partially cover expenses stemming from the Covid-19 epidemic, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, opening a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

"We will allocate nearly 11 billion rubles to support our airports. The funds should first and foremost go towards salaries of employees and payment of insurance premiums. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this measure of support does not apply to airport management and members of boards of directors. Also, these funds may be used for the maintenance, repair and operation of buildings, equipment and vehicles, as well as for other expenses," the prime minister said.

Spending will be monitored by aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia.

At a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on the transport sector on May 7, Russian Transport Minister Yevgeny Ditrikh asked that 10.1 billion rubles be provided to airports as urgent support. Some of them "have the same problem with the payroll, rent and current payments as aviators due to a serious decline in passenger traffic," explained the minister.

Putin eventually supported the request, while Ditrikh later told reporters that the Transport Ministry had prepared a draft decree on the allocation of about 11 billion rubles to airports. The document may be agreed upon by the end of May, the minister said. He did not specify on what principles the funds would be distributed.