Deputy Galkin Comments on Vacation Expenses

At the Central Court of Chelyabinsk, the prosecutor«s office presented data on the vacation expenses, jewelry, and airfare of Deputy Alexander Galkin»s family. The amount spent on flights alone exceeded 2 million rubles (over $20,000 at current rates).

Prosecutor Olga Fefelova stated on 5 February that since 2019, Galkin and his wife had visited Thailand, the UAE, Turkey, the Seychelles, Monaco, Qatar, the Czech Republic, Italy, and other countries.

The deputy refuted some of this information: «I have never vacationed in the UAE or Qatar. I was not in Monaco. I don’t know where these countries came from, how the prosecutor«s office thinks I was there. We will now look into it, maybe there was some mistake. Yes, my family and I occasionally traveled and vacationed. We did vacation in some of the listed countries. For instance, in 2019 I was in Italy. But I flew to Italy for a friend»s wedding! They paid for the accommodation on site, and I only paid for the flight. My future wife and I went to that wedding.»

He also commented on a trip to St. Petersburg in 2020. «Let me comment on the Four Seasons for 50,000 rubles ($500 at current rates). That was my wedding night with my wife. We got married that day,» said Alexander Galkin. «What kind of wedding did we have? We came to St. Petersburg, filed an application. Some time later, when we were given a date, we came together, registered the marriage, had dinner at a restaurant, spent the night at the Four Seasons, had breakfast in the morning, walked around the city, and left. Is that expensive for a wedding? I bought my wife a jewelry gift – a ring for 70,000 rubles ($700 at current rates) at Sunlight. Is that some super-expensive brand? The wedding was just the two of us – me and my wife, no guests. And now this is presented as some kind of luxury. But I don«t see any luxury here.»

According to the prosecution, from 2020 to 2024, the deputy«s family spent 2,105,000 rubles ($21,100 at current rates) on airfare.

Galkin explained these expenses by his high salary and business trips: «During the period the prosecutor«s office mentioned, I had a fairly good salary: about 5-6 million rubles ($50,000–$60,000 at current rates). I worked as a top manager in a Moscow company, so I had many flights across the country. Most of the tickets were bought by my wife. Some expenses were reimbursed by my employer because they also counted business trips in those expenses. How did it work? You buy the tickets yourself, then they reimburse you. And here they counted all flights together.»

The deputy was surprised by the oversight body«s attention to his money transfers to relatives. «The prosecutor»s office says that I helped my child and transferred significant sums. Yes, I have one child from my first marriage who lives with my ex-wife. Is it bad that I help? I am not a malicious alimony evader; I systematically transfer money to my ex-wife,» said Alexander Galkin. «Yes, I help my father. My father is elderly, he is sick, needs medicine. I help my parents. Is that bad? That«s life.»

The court also mentioned clothing expenses, in particular purchases at Massimo Dutti for 40,000 rubles ($400 at current rates). «I bought clothes for 40,000 rubles at Massimo Dutti. What, should I not dress at all?» asked Alexander Galkin. «At that time, this store was represented in the Almaz shopping center. Well, I came, bought a shirt on sale for 1,500-2,000 rubles, something else, and bought more on the next sale. Of course, over time the amount adds up. It«s not a one-time purchase. But it»s presented as if Massimo Dutti is some super-luxury store. They always had sales in June and at the end of the year, items were cheaper than in any other store, sales were 50% off. You come and buy clothes for yourself and your children. With a salary of 6 million rubles.»

The politician assured that he always paid taxes on all income, filed financial declarations, and hid nothing. «I do not want to accuse the prosecutor«s office in any way, I do not want to accuse anyone. Perhaps some incorrect information came from somewhere; we will definitely comment on it at the next hearing,» promised Alexander Galkin. «But to avoid misunderstanding among readers and my constituents that supposedly all I do is travel and vacation... That is false information. And we will definitely comment on it at the next hearing and provide answers.»

The check of the deputy«s expenses is being conducted as part of a lawsuit filed by the prosecutor»s office related to his purchase of an apartment in a premium residential complex in Moscow.