14 June 1999
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev's Discusses His Bloc At Moscow Press Conference
President Mintimer Shaimiev held a press conference in the international trade center in Moscow on 10 June. Shaimiev emphasized the necessity of establishing a nationalities chamber within Russia, "the way it used to be in the USSR and the Soviet Russian Federation." He said "this idea is motivated by the existing difficulties in pushing religious and nationalities issues through the State Duma and Federation Council [the chambers of Russian parliament]."
Commenting on the current situation in Tatarstan, Shaimiev said that "time has proved the correctness of governmental control over economic reforms and privatization in the Republic of Tatarstan. "
Shaimiev commented on the debate about the possible burial of Vladimir Lenin's body saying, "tensions must not be raised over this issue, society needs time to mature [its thoughts on] it." Tatarstan's president stated that "only a program for the economic revival of Chechnya could stop the kidnappings and other crimes in the republic. Crime might grow if the central government doesn't help president [Aslan] Maskhadov revive the Chechen economy."
Shaimiev said it was doubtful that the Vsya Rossia electoral bloc would merge with the Novaya Sila (New Force) movement of former Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko if he runs in the Moscow mayoral elections. Shaimiev said he didn't exclude the possibility of a merger between the Nas Dom Rossiya (Our Home is Russia) movement of the yet another ex-premier, Viktor Chernomyrdin. Shaimiev stressed that he supported the "moral decisions" of Pravoe Delo (Right Deed) movement leaders Boris Nemtsov, Irina Khakamada, and Anatolii Chubais.
Government Concerned About Base Metals Theft
Thieves stole some 270 kilometers of aluminium cable, over 40 cable pillars, and disabled some 24 electric transformer stations in Tatarstan so far this year, Tatarinform reported. Tatarstan's deputy prime minister, Vladimir Shvetsov, held a governmental conference on 10 June to elaborate on measures to prevent the thefts and smuggling of base metals out of the republic. Conference attendees agreed to step up preparation of a draft law on the issue that can be debated in the parliament in Kazan.
State Council Delegation In Ingushetia
A governmental delegation led by Tatarstan State Council chairman Farit Mukhametshin flew to Ingushetia to attend celebrations on the renaming of the republic's capital from Nazran to Magas. In a speech Mukhametshin congratulated the people of Ingushetia on the seventh anniversary of their republic.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi