30 January 2001
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev Applies For Registration as a Candidate
President Mintimer Shaimiev formally notified the republic's Central Election Committee on 29 January that he will run for reelection. CEC chairman Anatoly Fomin noted that Shaimiev so far is the only candidate who has submitted his application in both languages. Shaimiev must now collect 50,000 signatures. The same day Shamiev told the Tatarstan media that "although my candidacy was proposed by the collectives of major republics enterprises, the decision of running another presidential campaign was not simple."
Russian Duma Speaker Against Third Terms
Russian Duma chairman Gennady Seleznev told RIA-Novosti on 29 January that "Shaimiev's decision to run for a third term shows that some regional leaders want to rule for life." He emphasized, "a man who occupies the post of regional leader for three terms in a row leaves a scorched field after himself: no competitors, and no one to replace him and resume the work." At the same time, Seleznev said he didn't see an alternative to Shaimiev, although he said "it is very bad when someone becomes irreplaceable.
TR Communist Leader Promises Lawsuits on Poll Violations
Duma deputy (Communist) Aleksandr Saliy said on 29 January that "there are serious chances for the Communist Party representative�s victory" in republic presidential elections, noting that if anyone tried to block his success by election irregularities, the communists would sue. He said some 4,000 party members would monitor the polls.
Tatarstan Laws Said More Progressive Than Federal Ones
The Tatarstan Prosecutors Office submitted its reports concerning 12 republic laws to the Office of the Russian Prosecutor General saying that Tatarstan's legislation is "more progressive" that Moscow's, Nizhny Novgorod agency reported. Of the 54 laws Moscow officials say contradict federal laws, the Tatarstan State Council has changed ten and the courts 14 more.
New Tatar Orthography Published In Kazan
The Tatarstan Publishing House issued the first edition of Latin-based Tatar orthography rules book on 29 January. Language development chief Kim Minnulin said the 1,000 copies of the edition would be distributed to teachers and media workers.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Rakhimov Backs International Cooperation Project
President Murtaza Rakhimov reached an agreement with a visiting Austrian delegation on cooperation in introducing Austria-produced technology into Bashkortostan, Bashinform reported on 29 January.
PM Seeks to Improve Demographic Situation
Prime Minister Rafael Baydavletov told a kick-off meeting on the Year of the Mother that "the natural decrease of republic's population reached 12,000 in 2000, because there were 11 deaths for every ten births." But in 13 of the republic's 54 regions, growth did occur, he said.
Rakhimov Praised for Progress on Back Wages
Minister of Labor and Social Security Lev Bakusov said on 29 January that his ministry has stepped up its efforts to pay back wages and praised President Murtaza Rakhimov for his support of this enterprise. Bakusov said that some 60 senior managers had been fined over the matter, and that one company in 20 was guilty of serious labor law violations. He said wage arrears in the republic last year fell by 332 million rubles ($1.2 million
Influenza Hits Bashkortostan
BR chief sanitary doctor Gennady Minin told strana.ru on 29 January that influenza had reached the threshold of an epidemic there. Two people have already died, even though 500,000 people were inoculated. Some 250,000 are expected to be ill by the end of January, down some 50,000 from a year ago.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi