Tajikistan, Armenia owe Russia millions for border protection, say auditors

ITAR-TASS news agency
9 Nov 04

Moscow, 9 November: A meeting of the board of the Audit Chamber
of the Russian Federation has examined the results of a check into
the use of federal assets and funds allocated to the Russian FSB’s
[Federal Security Service] Border Service for its directorates in
Tajikistan and Armenia.

The Audit Chamber’s information department told an ITAR-TASS
correspondent today that, according to the findings, there are still
“questions connected with the co-financing of the border directorates
by the host countries”.

“During the first half-year the shortfall in Tajikistan’s financing
of Russian border guards was over R263m, and almost R3.2m in the case
of Armenia,” the information department noted.

During the discussions at the board meeting it was also noted that,
because the border directorates are not registered as corporate
bodies in the Russian Federation [RF], Tajikistan or Armenia, there
are social problems and property issues connected, for example, with
the pensionable service of civilian personnel with RF citizenship
who have moved to take up permanent residence in Russia.

The board of the Audit Chamber decided to send representations
over these questions to the Finance Ministry and the FSB’s Border
Service. It will also write a letter to the government to inform it
of the situation and send reports on the findings of the check to
the chambers of the Federal Assembly, the Audit Chamber’s information
department said.