Mikhail Mishustin: environmental fines will be used to eliminate damage to nature in Russia

(TASS) - The money that will come to the regional and local budgets from fines for environmental pollution will be earmarked for the elimination of environmental damage. This was announced on Monday by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin at an operational meeting with his deputies.
“The government has prepared a resolution that introduces a new procedure for financing such events from regional and local budgets,” he said, speaking about measures to protect the environment. “Funds for the identification of objects of accumulated harm, their elimination, restoration of the natural environment will come from all users of natural resources, as well as from violators through fines, payments on claims, and voluntary compensation.”
That is, the head of the Cabinet continued, in practice the principle "When the polluter pays" that Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about earlier will be implemented: “And such payments, coming to the budget of a subject and municipality, should be spent on specific measures to protect nature,” Mishustin emphasized.
As the prime minister explained, the priority is the elimination of already identified points of pollution, including unauthorized dumps and landfills. At the same time, the regions will be able to allocate funds for additional environmental activities, such as the elimination of pollution of water bodies, the restoration and cultivation of forests, monitoring the state of the environment and protecting the reserved areas.