Russia will take a final decision on changing time zones this fall, after the effects of changes introduced in March are examined, a first deputy prime minister said on Friday.
"After monitoring is carried out and we cooperate with the Academy of Sciences in summer and fall, we will take the final decision," Igor Shuvalov said at a session of a government commission focused on the development of the Russian Far East.
Shuvalov said the regional governors welcomed the decision to move some of the regions to a different time zone, but suggested research be carried out to study how the change would affect human health.
In November 2009, President Dmitry Medvedev proposed reducing the number of time zones in the country and suggested abolishing daylight saving time, introduced in the Soviet Union to reduce energy consumption.
On March 28, Russia eliminated two of its 11 time zones as part of efforts to improve the efficiency of government and business across the country's vast territory.
Kamchatka time (GMT +12) was the first to go when the Far Eastern Chukotka and Kamchatka regions were moved into the Magadan time zone (GMT +11) to be an hour closer to Moscow time (GMT +3).
The Samara Region and the Republic of Udmurtia, which were one hour ahead of Moscow, moved into the capital's time zone, eliminating the Samara time zone (GMT +4).
There are currently three time zones in the Russian Far East, and the presidential envoy to the federal district, Viktor Ishayev, believes one more should be dropped.
KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, April 30 (RIA Novosti)
