Russia has 'tea party' politicians too: "No Money? Eat Less!" United Russia Lawmaker Advises

People gather near a stall with meat at an open-air food fair in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Jan. 14, 2015.

A lawmaker from the ruling United Russia party has offered his advice to Russians struggling to pay for food amid the country's soaring inflation: "Eat less."

Food prices in the Urals' Sverdlovsk region have increased by around 25 percent compared to the same period last year, figures cited by regional lawmaker Ilya Gaffner indicate, but he said it was "not that bad," according to video footage posted online Thursday. Food price inflation in Russia has peaked over a sharp devaluation of the ruble currency and bans imposed on a range of European food imports in response to Western sanctions. Inflation is expected to accelerate even more this year.

During a televised visit to a local grocery store in Yekaterinburg, Gaffner suggested that Russians should draw inspiration from the most devastating periods in their country's history and enjoy the supposed health benefits of going hungry.

"We are all Russians, we have lived through hunger and cold," Gaffner told Novy Region television station. "If supposedly there isn't enough money, people should think about their health and somehow eat less," he said.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/no-money-eat-less-united-russia-lawmaker-advises-/514808.html