Let the mad tea party begin.
Victors in December's State Duma elections will each receive a sparkling, new tea set, according to a opened by the government.
The specifics of the order, valued at 3 million rubles ($100,000), are exacting: The tea sets must be made of white porcelain with gold trim, and the teacups, for instance, must hold between 250 and 260 milliliters of tea and be between 55 and 61 millimeters tall, according to the tender, on Oct. 21.
Interestingly, the sets are not of equal size: 204 are "tea and coffee sets" for 12 persons each, while the remaining 450 are simpler six-person sets not intended for coffee consumption.
It was not clear which deputies would receive the smaller set and which the larger one.
Maxim Rokhmistrov, an official with the Liberal Democratic Party, joked that the discrepancy meant that the United Russia party planned to win 204 seats, Izvestia .
Nezavisimaya Gazeta in April that deputies would each receive a new iPad.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
