The Russian Government liberated the tariffs on all postal and communications services from the beginning of the month. Representatives of the Russian Ministry of Communications now have the right to establish their own tariffs. Government regulation remains only for the delivery of ordinary mail and public telephones. From May a new system of payment for local telephone services by the minute was introduced. Annual charges for telephones have been increased to 1,700 roubles. The cost of connection to telephone network is expected to rise to 4,600 roubles from a mere 100 roubles. According to A Aleshin, Deputy Minister of Communication, in spite economic problems this year about 1m new telephone numbers will be created in Russia. This is 80% of the number of phone lines added in 1991.
