MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin earned about $151,000 in 2014, less than many others in the presidential administration, according to details of his income declaration published by the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Putin’s wealth has long been the focus of speculation by opponents who portray him as one of the richest men in the world, allegations he has dismissed.
Putin declared ownership of three Russian cars, a trailer, some land, an apartment and a garage. His earnings of 7.65 million roubles compared to about 3.6 million roubles in 2013, which was around $100,000 at the exchange rate a year ago.
The Kremlin did not say how much of the 2014 income was made up by Putin’s salary, which is not public knowledge, but was raised a year ago. His income declaration has in the past included a KGB pension and interest from bank deposits.
Putin earned much less last year than Barack Obama, who was paid $400,000 for his position as U.S. president and had additional income from book sales.
Kremlin critics ridicule the income declarations of top Russian officials, saying their real earnings are much higher.
Last year, Transparency International ranked Russia as 136th out of 175 countries on in its Corruption Perceptions Index, indicating a high level of corruption.
A report by two opposition figures in 2012 said the perks of being president in Russia included having access to yachts, palaces and aircraft.
The average nominal salary in Russia was 36,620 roubles in February, according to the state statistics agency.
Putin has ordered a temporary 10 percent pay cut for himself, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and other state officials because of an economic downturn, worsened by a fall in oil prices and Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.
The highest earner in the presidential administration last year was Oleg Govorun, who heads a department for cooperation with countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Details published by the Kremlin put his income in 2014 at more than 62 million roubles.
($1 = 50.6500 roubles)
Đăng ký: VietNam News