$170K spent to accommodate new MPs in Minsk hotels
Some 20 out of 60 former deputies are yet to check out from official apartments in Belarus capital.
The deputies from the regions of Belarus have lived in Hotel Planeta for almost 27 days and this annoys MP Aliaksandr Yurkevich.
Aliaksandr Yurkevich: "Definitely, it's annoying, because you have to live in a changed environment."
But he quickly stresses this does not affect his performance at the parliament. Every MP has a notebook and internet in the hotel. If necessary, they can always work in the evening.
64 out of 89 regional deputies are now accommodated at Hotel Planeta, Euroradio has learned. Some like MP Uladzimir Andreichanka from Doksycy have an apartment in Minsk, some are staying with relatives. But even 64 people means a lot moneywise when you accommodate them in a hotel where a room costs around $100 per night.
Thus, over $170,000 has been spent for 27 days of hotel accommodation of National Assembly deputies! Yet, MPs are entitled to official apartments in two 'parliamentary' houses in downtown Minsk and several apartmentsd in South-West Minsk. Have the former MPs not vacated the official apartments?
"We had a deal to check out by November 1. I vacated the apartment even earlier, on October 11. I left it in a good condition. Perhaps, it might require some minor make-up and that's all - you can live," ex-MP Uladzimir Mayorau tells Euroradio.
Uladzimir Kruglyanin, deputy head of Logistics Department at the Office of the President, confirms that deputies usually treat the property with respect, so no special repairs are normally required.
Uladzimir Kruglyanin: "I wouldn't say that some repair works are under way. All the deputies are conscious and do not leave mess behind themselves."
Yet, the Euroradio correspondent was not allowed to see with his own eyes in what condition the official apartments were left in the house in Kazarmenny zavulak. They only said that refurbishment was required.
Aleh Vyalicka and Anatol Hlaz left their official apartments in Kazarmenny zavulak by October 15. New deputies had to draw to determine who and in what apartment was to live.
Anatol Hlaz reveales the details of the drawing procedure: "There are five protection levels: by regions, by alphabet, again by alphabet from top down or from down top… It's simply impossible to set a draw up”.
Former chairman of Pruzhany district administration Aliaksandr Yurkevich was lucky - he will in the center of Minsk, in Kazarmenny zavulak. But, Uladzimir Kruglyanin from the Logistics Department, cant say when Mr Yurkevich and his colleagues will be able to check in.
Some 20 out of 60 official 'parliament's' apartments in Kazarmenny zavulak are yet to be vacated, Euroradio has learned. The delay is allegedly due to the extension of check-out period to December 1. When asked about inequality, the official from Logistics Department answered briefly: "No comments!"
The deputies of the previous parliaments would normally wait for 3-7 months to check in the official apartments. If something similar is to happen this year as well, almost $600,000 will be spent on accommodation of 64 newly elected members of partliament. This amounts to almost 6% out of $10.5 million allocated in the 2013 national budget to finance the work of the House of Representatives for the next year.
The building across the house in central Minsk where MPs live in official apartments...
Photo: Zmicier Lukashuk
