Well then, the Olympic mascot has been chosen, so it’s high time to start preparing the athletes. So our rosy-cheeked lads don’t end up falling flat on their faces. Fortunately, there’s plenty of money in the country, and no expense is spared for sports.
For example, Georgy Nikolaevich Grets, the rector of the Smolensk State Academy of Physical Education, Sports and Tourism, has decided to acquire an official car for himself. For 4 million rubles (about $130,000 at the time).
The make and model are not specified in the procurement request. But judging by the listed specifications, the only matches are the Chevrolet Express G1500 Limited AWD or the GMC Savana G1500 Limited Conversion AWD. These are ultra-luxury six-seat minibuses. It doesn’t take much foresight to guess that the Smolensk State Academy of Physical Education is not an especially wealthy university. In particular, they are buying the vehicle not with off-budget funds, but with straight-up state budget money (as explicitly stated in the request). Most likely, Georgy Nikolaevich Grets will say that the vehicle is needed not for him personally, but to transport athletes to competitions. Perhaps. But even in that case, a price tag of $130,000 for a vehicle looks a little wild. While I’m at it, I’d like to offer Georgy Nikolaevich a bold and original idea: Say, how about buying one not for $130,000, but for $65,000? Then you’d get two minibuses instead (still quite comfortable), and could seat twice as many athletes! Update. The local MK (Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper) is writing about it too. Update 2
A 26-inch LCD monitor for passengers in the cabin + DVD/CD/MP3 + remote control + two pairs of wireless headphones. Power-operated folding sofa. Illuminated cup holders. Additional LED interior lighting. The cabin ceiling: “starry sky.” According to commenters, it is not officially supplied to Russia.
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