‘The gradual replacement of free fare privileges with monetary compensation is unavoidable. The federal authorities demand that we fully switch to monetary compensation of all social welfare benefits (including public transport fares and housing bills) before January 1, 2009,’ Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government Viktor Koksharov said at a briefing on March 11, 2008.

‘The issue is being hotly debated at the moment, with the region’s legislative assembly deputies contributing to the discussion. It isn’t clear yet whether the monetary compensations will have been introduced by July 1, 2008 or later,’ he added.

According to Mr. Koksharov, only four Russian regions (including Sverdlovsk Region) still haven’t gone through with the compensation process.