Russia's government was able to carry out large-scale anti-crisis measures last year without any cuts in social spending, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in his annual report on the government work.
Addressing the lower house of Russia's parliament, Putin said that rather than cutting budget expenditures, the government opted to redistribute funds with the emphasis on social programs.
Putin added that actual spending increased 27.4% in 2009, as compared with the previous year, despite a 29% drop in revenues.
MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti)
