Golden beds for Russian Interior Minister to be delivered from Belarus?

Belarus became involved in a scandal with delivery of luxurious furniture for Russian governmental bodies.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is close to become a fortunate possessor of a unique bedroom suite decorated with gold. Only one company – “Ofisny Komfort” was allowed to take part in the purchase contest, organized by the agency, NEWSru.com writes.

Other two companies, which offered to sell the furniture to the law-enforcement agency, were denied taking part in the tender. As newspaper “Vedomosti” reports, the results of the tender will be announced on October 1.

We remind that the official website of public purchases announced an open tender to buy furniture at the cost of the federal budget. The tender of Russian militiamen comprised of three lots at a total cost of 24.4mln rubles.

The third lot was of special interest. It comprises of 55 items at a sum of 4.4mln rubles. It includes a hand carved cherry bed decorated with thin layer of 24 carat gold on the head and footboards.

According to Valery Gribankin, the head of the Interior Minister’s department, the furniture will be delivered to the economic security department and the Ministry’s Guest House in Serebryany Bor. Militiamen lay high claims to the furniture: for example, a negotiation table must be washed with Deutsch varnish, the fittings must be produced in Germany or Italy.

As it became known, three companies – “Ofisny Komfort”, “MV-Design” and “Triones Grupp” – applied for the third lot.

As a result, only “Offisny Komfort” managed to take part in the competition. The rest applicants failed to prove they are not in a process of liquidation and don’t have tax debts. They also didn’t prove they had given 5 per cent of the lot initial price.

As the newspaper found out, “Ofisny Komfort” delivers furniture from Belarus and Poland; the Polish furniture is produced under Deutsch trademark Klose that answer the competition requirements.

The completion for rest two lots of a total sum of 20mln rubles is scheduled for October 1. Four companies will contest for the first lot, two companies– for the second one.

As soon as the scandal aroused, member the Russian State Duma of Russia’s committee on security Mikhail Starshinov promised to send an MP’s request to the Interior Minster’s leadership. According to Starshinov, the MPs are not going to react so far. He expects the lots may provoke the Accounts Chamber to verify the expediency of disbursement of state funds.