Mironov criticized Rosstat for “manipulation” in the fight against inflation – Rosbalt

Rosstat, reducing the level of poverty by changing calculation methods, uses the same technique to “fight” inflation, believes the chairman of the Fair Russia – For Truth party, head of the party faction in the State Duma Sergei Mironov.

Earlier, the Federal State Statistics Service made changes to the list of goods and services estimated when calculating inflation, and also slightly expanded it. The number of positions for calculating the consumer price index for the month from January 1, 2022 will increase from 556 to 558.

Commenting on this innovation, Mironov noted that “the changes seem to be insignificant.” “But as they say, watch your hands. On the one hand, the list has expanded due to drugs, primarily from the list of vital and essential drugs. On the other hand, some positions were combined: for example, fatty and low-fat cottage cheese became just cottage cheese. But the cost of medicines from the VED list (vital and essential medicines – ed.) Is strictly regulated by the state. In contrast to the prices for milk, which will noticeably rise next year, with which even the Ministry of Agriculture agrees. So, with one stroke of the pen, we added positions with guaranteed zero dynamics to the calculation of inflation, and removed “inconvenient” goods that would certainly become more expensive and spoil the picture, ”said the deputy, whose words are quoted on the party’s website.

In this regard, he called for “to change the status of Rosstat, to increase its independence by transferring (from the Ministry of Economic Development) to the subordination of the President of the Russian Federation or the State Duma.”

Let us also remind that, according to preliminary estimates of the statistics department, inflation in Russia reached 8.39% last year, being higher than the official forecast and the consensus forecast of analysts who had expected an average increase in consumer prices at 8.1%.