Public control over investments in the Russian monopoly will work till the end of the year

The system of public control over investment programs in natural monopolies will be formed by the end of the 2013 year due to the consumer’s advice, as the minister of Open Government Michail Abrizov said to the journalists.  

“The first steps are to be taken by the end of the year, some stations will begin to operate in September-October, Soviets ’ll be created and start working” – he said.

“Practically all elements of the system will start to operate in this year” – Abrizov added

As the Minister said , on August, 15 the road map of implementation of public control over investment programs in monopolies made by the open government and the accompanying documents will be introduced. The following suggestions will be sent to the President by September, 15.

LEVELS OF CONTROL

As Abizov said, a range of Consumer’s Soviets are planned to be created on federal and regional levels. Federal soviets will control planning and performance of investment programs in key monopolies – “Russian nets”, “RZD”, “transneft”, “Gasprom”, “Russian Post”. “ Rostelekom”, “Rosmorport”, Goscorporations in air moving organizations.

The sectoral consumer’s soviets will be created at the minister-departments. The inter-sectoral soviets are planned to operate on regional levels, that would control investment expenses of regional monopolies in the sphere of energy supply and energy-, thermo-, water-, gas-, net- transference and railway transportation.

The representatives of experts soviets of the government, Russian business organizations, sector-interested organizations, consumers public organizations will partially become the members of consumers soviet. The construction of inter-sectoral soviets on regional level will be stated by local legislators.

Investment committees will be created at the Directors Board of the monopolies that would consist of representatives of Consumers soviets. They could express the opinion while discussing investment programs and projects of director Board, profile ministries, and while considering the tariff applications of monopolies in Federal Tariff Service.

Nowadays the possibility of including the representatives of Consumer’s soviets in the FDS with the right of vote.

GOVERNMENT RESOLVES THE DISPUTIES

Moreover, it is suggested to create government commission to control over natural monopolies activity. If the Consumers soviet at the federal monopoly votes 23 against the taken decision, it will appeal in the commission. The last resolves the disputes. Soviets on the regional level wouldn’t have the right, they could only sent the suggestions to sectoral ministry.

As an alternative, the possibility of considering the disputes by government sectoral commissions is discussed without creating a new commission. If the public board does not present his review till deadlines, his opinion simply will not be considered.