ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) - President Vladimir Putin publicly scolded local officials in Russia's second-biggest city Saturday, accusing them of misusing federal funds that were given for repairs of cultural monuments.
The former imperial capital has been undergoing major repairs timed for the city's 300th anniversary next year, and many public buildings, cathedrals and museums are hidden under scaffolding.
At a meeting with St. Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev and other city officials, Putin said that much of the money allocated had not been used effectively.
"What is this? Money is allocated - millions. I agree it is not enough ... but even what is allocated is not used effectively," Putin said at the meeting, parts of which were shown on Russian television.
Frowning as he read figures from several pages of documents, he cited as an example the Mariinsky Theater, home of a leading opera and ballet company. Out of 20.6 million rubles (dlrs 665,000) given by the federal government for repairs on the theater, 20 million rubles (dlrs 645,000) were not used for the project, he said. He did not specify what happened to the money.
Putin, who was born in St. Petersburg and began his political career there, has recently put the city at the focus of attention by inviting a series of foreign leaders there. U.S. President George W. Bush visited last month, while the leaders of China and four Central Asian nations met there this week. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrives in the city on Monday.
On Saturday morning, Putin unveiled a memorial plaque at the former home of his late mentor in politics, former St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak. Putin quit his KGB career in 1992 to work as Sobchak's deputy.
Putin also attended the launching of a new tanker by oil giant Lukoil on Saturday. The tanker is the last of five ordered by Lukoil from a state-owned St. Petersburg shipyard that have icebreaking capabilities, according to the Interfax news agency.