Abolition of Social Benefits: Government Forced to Heed Nation's Reaction

"Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, has adopted a bill in its first reading on replacing social benefits in-kind with monetary compensations. Interestingly, 66% of MPs supported the bill, which, according to sociological surveys, is the same percentage of the population that opposes it. [..] When the figures were disclosed, it was clear that they would not make up for the numerous benefits received by residents of small and large cities. In addition, housing and utilities fee benefits granted to those who worked for a long time in the Arctic and some areas in Siberia, children's allowances, medical and some other benefits were abolished, as were compensation payments for them. Only a third of the country's ten million disabled will be fully compensated for the benefits under the new bill, according to the Russian Society of the Disabled."