Penza, 8 April 2015. PenzaNews. Valery Bespalov, deputy regional government chairman, stated that the fare deductions will be saved to certain categories of people on public transport within the regional center.

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“As far as I know, about 13,000 Penza residents are using these additional measures of social support. There is no discussion of cancellation of these deductions right now. But it is obvious that we are inviting you to have a broad public debate on the matter,” he said during a press conference held on Wednesday, April 8.

Valery Bespalov noted that the topic of providing fare deductions to certain categories of citizens was one of the major during the meeting of authorities and transport companies on Tuesday evening, April 7.

“We had quite a meeting yesterday. I'll state a few figures to illustrate. You know that sometime before almost all of these deductions which used to operate at the federal level, were canceled. The city head’s decree introduced the so-called additional measures of social support. This decree has an expiration date, as far as I remember, December 31, 2015, which was signed by [Roman] Chernov,” the deputy chairman of the regional government added.

He also emphasized the fact that the majority of the people enjoying the deductions are working pensioners.

“That is not the part of population primarily in need of social support measures. But again, I stress that this issue is within the competence of the municipal authorities,” Valery Bespalov explained.

After the press conference, but still in the conference hall of the regional government, Valery Bespalov commented on Penza administration decree No. 410/1 of March 31, 2015, which, according to the media, provides information on the fare deductions cancellation from May 1.

“I think it [the decree] was signed, but most likely not published. Let me explain why. You see, the register number contains a slash – 410/1. When there is a slash, it usually means that they needed to register with the back date, but here there is no need for that? Illogical,” he said.

However, the deputy chairman of the regional government said that if the decree on additional measures of social support for certain categories of citizens was signed by the head of the city administration, then he can cancel it.

As PenzaNews agency reported earlier, on Tuesday, April 7, the protocol department staff of Penza administration refused to provide the news agency correspondent the log and decree No. 410/1 dated March 31, 2015.

In turn, Viktor Gvozdev, first vice-mayor of Penza, said that such a document did not exist, but the whole situation may be a political provocation. According to him, the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party have teamed up to create a topic for debate. In particular, the official expressed confidence that the Communists and the Liberal Democrats “received the money from the top to begin their PR campaigns.”

Earlier, a similar thesis with a focus on the upcoming gubernatorial elections in the Penza region was voiced by Viktor Gvozdev to Oleg Shalyapin, head of the Communist Party faction in the City Duma.