In a move that is to curb state officials' taste for luxury brand cars, the State Duma is considering a measure that would introduce price caps for officials' cars based on their rank.
If the amendment is passed, the highest ranking officials like federal ministers, governors, heads of republics and top judges could not buy vehicles worth more than 3 million rubles ($94,000), the newspaper Izvestia reported Tuesday.
Up to 90 percent of officials, however, will fall into the state employees category and not be allowed to spend more than 1.2 million rubles ($37,900).
State Duma Deputy Vyacheslav Lysakov of United Russia and the All-Russia People's Front, co-authored the measure and said the price caps would limit outrageous spending on cars allow state employees in even the lowest category to ride comfortably in mid-sized cars like a Toyota Camry or an Audi A4.
The proposal is one in a series of measures put forward since opposition activist Alexei Navalny gathered 100,000 votes online in favor of limiting state officials' spending on vehicles to 1.5 million rubles
According to last year's income declarations, officials are keen on luxury cars, like presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Alexander Khloponin's 9 million ruble Bentley.
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