Rumours of the reabsorption of FSVT into the Ministry of Transport

Published: 5/23/2000

There are rumours emerging in Moscow that the ambition of the Federal Aviation Service (FSVT) to become a full ministry may be thwarted and it may be reabsorbed into the Ministry of Transport. Sources close to the government suggest that the agency, which has being trying to become a ministry, will suffer from the government's general reduction in ministries and become a department of the Ministry of Transport. The reason for this outcome, according to some commentators, was the lack of weight carried by ex-Air Force General and FSVT General Director Andreyev in the corridors of power and who is seen as being unable to fight his corner in the unfamiliar territory of civilian air transport, in marked contrast to his predecessor Zaitsev. Whether the actual facts bear this out is another a matter, but given the general crisis in air transport with regard to funding in particular, the FSVT appears in the view of many industry participants to be have been guilty of 'talking the talk' but demonstrating little of 'walking the walk'. The concern among those in the industry is that the potential position as a department in the Ministry of Transport, will allow a recurrence of the situation prior to 1997, when Zaitsev persuaded Yeltsin to create a separate aviation authority outside of the Ministry of Transport, arguing that the senior figures within the ministry had little understanding of the industry.

Article ID: 1807