Governor Marina Kovtun cuts salary by 25%

Governor Kovtun in 2015 made 3.85 million rubles (€49.000), Murman.ru reports. That is 25 percent lower than in 2014. It is also significantly lower than all years since 2010.

In year 2011, the regional governor made 5.8 million rubles, information from the Murmansk administration shows. Back then, it was Dmitry Dmitrienko who was in the governor’s chair. Kovtun took over the regional reigns in 2012.

The Murmansk salary cut follows suit with Arkhangelsk, where Governor Igor Orlov recently announced that his salary is down 30 percent.

Reportedly, the governor’s husband, Vasilii Kovtun, in 2015 made only 349.000 rubles (€4.400). That is well below the regional average of 540.000 (€6.900). Vasilii Kovtun is a businessman active in the field of regional tourism.

The salary cuts of Governor Kovtun comes as the general income level in the region is declining. Figures from the regional State Statistical Service show that the average net income of the population in 2015 dropped by 8,4 percent year-on-year.