The meeting of the Commission for the Coordination of Anti-Corruption Activities in the RT was held in Kazan

(KZN.RU, March 10). Tatarstan's experience in implementing of anti-corruption measures is recommended for use in other regions of Russia. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, announced this today at the meeting of Commission for the Coordination of Anti-Corruption Activities in the RT, which was held in the Executive Corps of the Kazan Kremlin.

Ildar Khalikov, the Prime Minister of Tatarstan, Farid Mukhametshin, the chairman of the State Council of the RT, Mintimer Shaimiev, the State Councilor of the RT, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, heads of Tatarstan authorities, representatives of structural subdivisions of the Office of the President of the RT and the Cabinet of Ministers of the RT, heads of the city and republic districts took part in the meeting.

Opening the meeting, R. Minnikhanov noted that work on the implementation of anti-corruption policy in Tatarstan is conducted in all areas: from the upbringing of the younger generation and legal education to the inspecting of civil servants for the legitimacy of incomes. As a result, there is a stable decrease in the number of citizens who face corruption in the republic. If it was every fifth inhabitant of the RT in 2009-2011 (21%), today the number has been halved (9.6%).

According to R. Minnikhanov, much work has been done to reduce corruption risks within the Year of Water Protection Zones. In particular, it was possible to partially fill the absence of the coastline, to develop the judicial practice of dealing with cases related to the liberation of coastal strips, to stop the unauthorized use of water bodies by the water area. As a result of the joint work of the prosecutor's office and monitoring bodies, about 1700 violations of water protection legislation were eliminated, 365 facilities were dismantled, and free access of citizens to the coastal strips of water bodies and their water areas was secured. “We will continue this activity this year, including paying attention to forest areas”, said the President of the RT.

R. Minnikhanov noted that an important result of preventive measures is the reduction of criminal cases, related to fictitious extracts from books of economic management. The initiative to implement control procedures in this area and individual work with officials has had a positive impact, believes the head of the RT.

The law enforcement bodies activated their work. 1038 crimes of corruption, 157 crimes on the facts of receiving bribes were identified and suppressed in 2016. Residents have become to file allegations of extortion and bribery more often.

“The growing number of requests to state bodies also speaks of increasing confidence in the authorities. More than 43 thousand ones addressed the Office of the President of Tatarstan for the past year. Thanks to the active work, more than 550 crimes, related to encroachment on budget funds, state property, and land plots, were identified and suppressed. The damage in these criminal cases exceeded 400 million rubles. The law enforcement bodies ensured its compensation”, marked the head of the republic. “However, the very fact of such damage is the result of imperfections of state bodies with supervisory or control functions, we have about 30 of them, as well as those responsible for the implementation of internal financial control”.

The President said that it is extremely important at early stages to identify the personal interest of officials and exclude a conflict of interests: “The results of last year showed that there is a large front of work. Even ministers have cases of providing false information about incomes, as well as the existence of a conflict of interest. Some heads of districts are seen in the illegal disposal of land. At the same time, auction procedures are violated or not applied at all, and allotted plots cannot be used for their intended purpose. As a result, the budget is underpaid”.

“In the end, we have an increase in the number of crimes and social tension. I emphasize that the rule “you need to start with yourself” is most relevant here. First of all, we are talking about an unconditional observance of the rule of law”, added R. Minnikhanov.

Further, a number of reports on anti-corruption measures and implement the state program “Implementation of the anti-corruption policy of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2015-2020” were presented, reports the Tatarstan Government Portal.