Russia lost $220 mln in government purchase contracts fraud in 2011January 17, 2012 - 11:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia’s federal budget lost over 7 billion rubles ($220 mln) in 2011 due to crimes related to government purchase contracts, a senior state investigator said. “As of November 2011, the courts reviewed more than 200 criminal cases of this kind,” Deputy Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee Vasily Piskarev said in an interview with the Moscow News daily published on Tuesday, Jan 17. “The damages to the state caused by these crimes amount to over seven billion rubles,” Piskarev said. More that 130 criminal cases were opened last year as a result of the probes into price fixing during the purchases of tomographic scanners under several federal medical care programs. “At present, 96 officials, including 36 former and current regional health ministers are facing charges related to these cases,” the official said, RIA Novosti reported. Russia ranks 143rd out of 182 countries in Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index, described as the world’s most corrupt major economy. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |