Tatar-Bashkir Report: May 31, 2005
May 31, 2005
31 May 2005
WEEKLY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Kulikovo Battle Anniversary Sparks Controversy
Reshid Yegeferov, the coordinating chairman of the Tatar National
Council, told Ekho Moskvy on 23 May that the Tatar public is opposed to
celebrations marking the anniversary of the battle of Kulikovo, which
began 23 May 1380 in the Nikolo-Ugreshskii monastery in the Moscow
Oblast city of Dzerzhinskii. Yegeferov said, "Tatar scholars have proven
that there in fact was not a major war between the Golden Horde and the
Moscow state, only skirmishes between individual princes and khans. And
if celebrations of the Kulikovo battle begin nevertheless, this will be
made public." He added that "this will be unpleasant for both Tatars and
Russians, as the governments of Tatarstan and Moscow are not interested
in such scientific discussions. Yegeferov suggested that Tatar activists
should meet with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church to
discuss the issue.
Patriarch Alexsii II on 23 May called on people not to look at the
Kulikovo anniversary as a symbol of antipathy between the Russian and
Tatar peoples, Interfax reported the same day. "One shouldn't think the
meaning of the Kulikovo battle was the fight of the Russians against the
Tatar-Mongols." The patriarch said there were many Tatars among the
fighters loyal to Russian Prince Dmitrii Donskoi, as well as Russians on
the side of the Golden Horde's Khan Mamai.
Viktor Ilyukhin, the deputy chairman of the State Duma Security
Commission, told Ekho Moskvy on 23 May that Kulikovo should be
celebrated as a victory by the Russian people over hostile invaders. He
said the Kulikovo battle is "a nationwide holiday, as we fought not
against Tatars who lived in the Russian Federation, but against
newcomers who were coming to subdue Russia."Tatar Lawmakers Say Russian Flag Won't Fly Over Parliament...
Tatarstan's parliamentary Committee on the State System and Local
Self-Government on 24 May rejected a request by Tatarstan's Prosecutor
Office to eliminate violations of the law on Russian state symbols,
RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the same day. Prosecutors had notified
Tatar State Council legislators they were failing to observe the federal
law decreeing that the Russian flag be raised permanently at state
buildings. The State Council flies only Tatarstan's flag on a permanent
basis. Deputies argued that the building is undergoing major repairs and
could be damaged if another flagstaff is installed on the roof. They
have suggested a decision on the issue be withheld until the
reconstruction is complete.Referendum Against Tatneft Kaliningrad Project Fails
A referendum on the construction of oil port facilities in Svetlyi, in
Kaliningrad Oblast, was ruled invalid because of low turnout,
"Kommersant-Volga-Urals" reported on 24 May. According to the oblast
election commission, 48.59 percent of eligible voters took part in the
referendum, 97 percent of whom opposed the construction of the oil
facilities. The referendum organizers needed approximately 300 more
votes in order to block what they say is an environmentally hazardous
Tatneft project to create an oil-export shipping system to Western Europe.
Svetlyi administration head Aleksandr Grigorev told Regnum on 24 May
that town authorities will attempt to block project construction despite
the formal failure of the referendum. "I simply won't sign the oil
companies' documents," Grigorev said, adding he can't go against the
wishes of the over 10,000 residents who elected him.
Tatneft branch Baltnafta, working together with Moscow Industrial Base,
a branch of Yeniseineft, is aiming to build the oil port facilities.International Heroin Ring Convicted In Kazan
Tatarstan's Supreme Court on 24 May handed down sentences to members
convicted of participation in an international drug syndicate involved
in trafficking heroin from the Kyrgyz city of Osh to Tatarstan,
"Kommersant-Volga-Urals" reported on 25 May. The group sold over 400
kilograms of narcotics worth 200 million rubles ($7.1 million) over a
period of two years. The 12 defendants in the case were sentenced to a
total 94.5 years of imprisonment. The court sentenced Kyrgyz citizens
Gulnara Yaminova, Kamila Mirzaeva, Akramzhon Abaraliev, Israil
Baltabaev, Kabul Kochkarov, Radif Asadullin and Radik Nuraliev to prison
sentences ranging between two-and-a-half years and 12 years. Tatarstan
residents Sergei Usachev, Ruslan Galimov, Ferit Sadyiqov, Vasilii
Prostatov and Airat Qarymov were sentenced to between seven-and-a-half
years and 12 years in custody.
A jury on 16 May found all the suspects guilty on charges of
participation in a criminal group, smuggling, and the illegal
manufacturing, purchase, trafficking, and sale of narcotics. Asadullin,
Nuraliev and Qarymov were also accused of organizing a criminal group.
The Supreme Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict
Nuraliev and Asadullin on that charge. The defendants' lawyers said they
will appeal the verdict.Shaimiev Backs Preservation Of Presidential Post In Tatarstan
Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev said the post of president is to be
maintained in the republic, Interfax-Povolzhe reported on 25 May. In an
interview with the news agency, Shaimiev said he considers it
unacceptable to take the approach followed by deputies in North
Ossetia's parliament who have abolished the presidential post. Shaimiev
said "those erosive...processes that took place during the perestroika
years in the republics of the North Caucasus...can in no way be...a
model for Tatarstan."TIU Leader Opposes Celebration Of Kulikovo Battle Anniversary
Tatar Public Center (TIU) Chairman Telget Bariev has said it is
incorrect to celebrate the anniversary of the Kulikovo battle in today's
Russia, Interfax-Povolzhe reported on 25 May. "Thus we, Tatars, are
'pushed out' from Russia. Russia recognizes Tatars just as stepsons and
gives the national movement cause to fight for Tatarstan's
independence," Bareev told the news agency. "The Kulikovo battle is
based on a myth like many things in Russian history."Jewish Graves Vandalized In Kazan
The Kazan Interior Ministry is searching for the vandals of 20 graves
recently desecrated in the Jewish part of the Kazan Archa cemetery,
RIA-Novosti reported on 25 May. The graves were destroyed or daubed with
swastikas. The ministry said that the graves of people of "various
nationalities" have been damaged. The Kazan City Council appealed on 25
May to religious and public organizations to look into the act of vandalism.Republican Parliament Sends New Senator To Federation Council...
Tatarstan's State Council confirmed former Deputy Prime Minister and
Economy and Industry Minister Aleksei Pakhomov on 26 May as a
parliamentary representative to the Federation Council, Tatar-inform,
intertat.ru and Interfax reported the same day. Pakhomov replaces Irina
Larochkina, who was appointed republican environment minister. The
cabinet reshuffle came in the wake of the nomination on 25 March of
Mintimer Shaimiev as Tatarstan's president for a new term....Postpones Local Elections...
At its plenary session on 26 May, the State Council voted to postpone
local elections to self-government structures from 25 September to 16
October, citing the "harvest season" and "vacation period," Tatarinform
and intertat.ru reported the same day. Speaker Farid Mukhametshin told
reporters the same day that the new date is in line with federal
legislation. Analysts suggested that Kazan Mayor Khamil Iskhaqov
benefited most from the measure, since Iskhaqov would otherwise have to
depart ahead of the balloting for Kazan millennial celebrations. But a
presidential adviser on political issues, Rafael Khekimov, argued in
"Kommersant-Idel-Urals" on 27 May that it is unlikely that Iskhaqov's
interests are behind the postponement of elections, saying, "The mayor
is, of course, an important person but not [important] enough to
postpone elections to suit him."...And Agrees To Seek Ways To Place Russian Flag On Parliament Building
The parliament voted on 26 May to consider a request by the republican
Prosecutor-General's Office to remedy violations of federal legislation
regarding federal symbols, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the same day.
Speaking at parliament's plenary session, Tatarstan First Deputy
Prosecutor Artem Nikolaev noted that only the Tatarstan flag is
installed atop the republican parliament building, while federal law
demands the presence of the Russian flag on state administrative buildings.
A committee on the federal system and local self-government the previous
day passed a decision to reject the prosecutor's request, countering
that installation of another flagpole might damage the building, which
is reportedly undergoing major repairs. Speaker Mukhametshin said at the
plenary session that "in legal terms, the Prosecutor-General's Office's
request is correct." He urged that the prosecutor's request be taken
into account, saying, "This means we have discussed the issue...and
continue looking for technical ways to satisfy the request."Human Rights Commissioner Plans Interfaith Conference In Kazan
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles proposed
on 26 May that an international interfaith conference on tolerance and
religious dialogue in Russia be organized in the Tatar capital Kazan
this fall, RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service reported the same day.
Gil-Robles made the suggestion in a meeting with the chairman of the
Council of Muftis of Russia, Rawil Gainetdin. The forum would reportedly
involve representatives of five monotheistic faiths, including
Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Gil-Robles
said he chose Kazan to host of the event after his recent visit to
Tatarstan's capital, where he said there is a concord among followers of
different religious traditions. Gainetdin backed the proposal and
emphasized the importance of such a forum.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service following the
meeting, Gil-Robles said he considers illegal the persecution of people
over their membership of any religious organization -- specifically, the
banned Hizb ut-Tahrir -- membership of which has served as grounds for
the arrest of Muslims in many regions of Russia. Gil-Robles said he is
against labeling any religion extremist, adding that countries
protecting human rights should reject such a thing.Tatar President Visits St. Petersburg
President Mintimer Shaimiev took part in celebrations devoted to St.
Petersburg's anniversary on 27 May, Tatarinform, intertat.ru, RosBalt,
and other news agencies reported the same day. Shaimiev said after his
meeting with St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko that Russia
needs to preserve its traditions, multicultural nature, and
spirituality. Matvienko said after the meeting that St. Petersburg is
preparing its present devoted to the Kazan millennium, which will be
celebrated in August. The city is reconstructing St. Petersburg Street
in Kazan, planning to display Hermitage works in the Kazan Art Gallery,
and erecting a bust of a Tatar poet in Kazan. As its present for the St.
Petersburg's 300th anniversary, marked in 2003, Tatarstan repaired homes
on Kazan Street in St. Petersburg, made improvements to a square near
the Kazan Cathedral, and published the book "Tatars in Petersburg."Tatneft Bows Out Of Tupras Race
Tatneft General Director Shefeget Takhawetdinov said on 26 May that
Tatneft has definitively rejected the idea of purchasing a 51 percent
stake in Turkish refining concern Tupras, Interfax reported the same
day. Takhawetdinov cited risks in the Turkish state-run process, saying,
"We won the first tender and didn't violate law, but the auction was
deemed invalid. Then...the Turkish government sold a 15 percent stake
and again, as we know, trade unions appealed to a court against the
winning company. This can continue indefinitely." "If there is such a
lawsuit between the government and trade unions, we wouldn't like to
participate in this process," Takhawetdinov said.
In February 2004, an alliance between Tatneft-associated company Efremov
Kautchuk GmbH and the Turkish financial industrial group Zorlu won a
tender to purchase 65.76 percent of Tupras for $1.3 billion, but the
decision was later annulled by a Turkish court.
Tupras unites four refineries capable of processing 27 million tons of
oil a year, and controls some 90 percent of Turkey's refinery market.
Meanwhile, Zorlu head Ahmed Nazif Zorlu said in an interview with
ntvmsnbc.com on 25 May that negotiations with Tatneft on joint
participation in the next tender on Tupras are continuing and that the
decision will be passed in roughly a month.
Compiled by Gulnara KhasanovaWEEKLY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Registration Of Candidates Completed For Local Self-Government
Three-hundred nine candidates will compete for 35 seats on the Ufa City
Council, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported on 23 May, citing a list
of candidates published the same day by election officials. Elections to
those local bodies, whose powers are to be expanded under local
self-government reforms that should be in place by November, are slated
for 26 June.Ufa Election Commission Accused Of Bias
Five would-be candidates for the Ufa City Council who were refused
registration held a news conference on 20 May to accuse the local
election commission of unfairness, bashnews.ru reported on 23 May. The
group includes Novoufimskii Oil Refinery executive Sergei Akulov,
Bashkirenergo's Sergei Kasatkin, energy sales executive Sergei Yerokhin,
and Novoil's Erik Islakaev.Durtoile Raion Head Files Defamation Suit
Durtoile Raion and city-administration head Rawil Dewletov filed a
defamation suit against resident Egine Bulatova in which he is seeking 1
million rubles ($35,600) in compensation, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent
reported on 23 May. Bulatova, who campaigned against President Murtaza
Rakhimov in the December 2002 presidential election, appealed to Russian
President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Interior Ministry to complain
of perceived persecution against her that began after Rakhimov's
victory. Bulatova has sought 1 million rubles in compensation of moral
damages from Dewletov.Kauchuk Reportedly Struggling
The leadership of Bashkortostan-based Kauchuk, Russia's largest
manufacturer of synthetic rubber, said the plant is in crisis and on the
verge of bankruptcy, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported on 23 May. The
company reported in its first-quarter results that losses increased
during the period by 282 million rubles to 1.1 billion rubles. In 2005,
Kauchuk plans to produce 172,800 tons of rubber. President Rakhimov has
said Kauchuk -- alongside the Kaustik and Soda chemical plants -- could
join the Moscow-based holding Bashkirskaya khimiya this year.
Kauchuk produces 24 percent of Russia's isoprene rubber. Bashkortostan's
Property Ministry owns a 25 percent stake in Kauchuk.Bashkir PM Guarantees Repayment of Foreign Credits If Rakhimov Is Dismissed
The London-based HSBC Bank and Moscow People's Bank will provide between
$100 million and $150 million in credits to the Bashkortostan government
and companies, Interfax and RosBalt reported on 24 May, citing the
Bashkir government press service. Bashkortostan Prime Minister Rafael
Baidavletov visited Britain on 17-21 May, during which he held
negotiations with managers from Chinatrust Commercial Bank and Standard
Bank London, and discussed the possibility of raising Bashkortostan's
credit rating with officials from the Standard and Poor's international
rating agency and Moody's Investor Service.
Interfax cited Baidavletov as saying obtaining credits has become
increasingly complicated because of political instability in the
republic. All of Bashkortostan's partners in London "raised the issue on
the upcoming resignation of the republic president," Baidavletov said.
Commenting on the conflict between President Murtaza Rakhimov and his
son Ural, Baidavletov said, "the whole world knows that an unnatural
antagonism between father and son that cannot be explained logically
doesn't raise our investment attractiveness." The prime minister,
however, sought to assure bank managers the Bashkir government will
fulfill its financial obligations even if Murtaza Rakhimov is dismissed.
In April, the Moscow branch of HSBC Bank allocated $25 million in credit
for the Bashkir government at a rate of 5 percent of annual interest.Russian PM Thanks Rakhimov For Army Recruits
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov sent an official letter to
Bashkir President Rakhimov to thank him for his achievements in
"preparing Russian citizens for military service in 2004," RosBalt
reported on 24 May, citing the Bashkir presidential press service. The
letter was handed to Rakhimov by Russian armed forces General Staff
Deputy Head General-Colonel Vasilii Smirnov. Rakhimov was also granted a
certificate of honor by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov for his
contribution to the work of the Russian armed forces and for
Bashkortostan's distinction in best preparing citizens for military
service.
In 2005, Bashkortostan won the competition held by the General Staff.
The republic sends 13,000 draftees to the Russian Army every year.Congress Of Oil, Gas Manufacturers Opens In Ufa
Some 270 fuel- and energy-sector companies from 14 countries --
including Russia, Denmark, France, Germany, and the United States --
displayed their products at the 6th Congress of Oil and Gas
Manufacturers, which opened on 24 May in Ufa, an RFE/RL Ufa
correspondent reported the same day. President Rakhimov and Russian Oil
and Gas Manufacturers Union President Gennadii Shmal attended the
opening ceremony of the congress.Prosecutors To Closely Monitor Police Brutality
Bashkir Prosecutor Aleksandr Konovalov said on 25 May that local
prosecutors will look into reported cases of suspects beaten during
police interrogations, Interfax-Povolzhe reported the same day. He
added, however, that such cases are difficult to prove. At a meeting
with residents in the republic's third-largest city Salawat, Konovalov
said prosecutors will carry out more random checks on pretrial detention
facilities during the night. He added that "prosecutors' supervision
will be closer to the bodies under surveillance." Konovalov said there
is a complex criminal situation in Salawat and this has an impact on the
number of police brutality claims. Salawat has four correctional labor
facilities and 40 percent of the population has previous convictions.Tatar NGOs Plan Referendum On Tatar Language Status
Bashkortostan's Tatar civil-society organizations decided at a meeting
on 25 May to hold a referendum on raising the status of Tatar in
Bashkortostan, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported the same day. The
union will appeal to Bashkir President Murtaza Rakhimov to provide
premises to hold a conference on the issue to which Russian human-rights
activists will be invited.Bolivia, Bashkortostan Discuss Possible Refinery Project
A delegation of Bolivian state officials and business representatives
Bolivia held talks with the leadership of Bashkortostan's state-run
Vostok consortium to construct an oil refinery in Bolivia,
"Kommersant-Volga-Urals" reported on 27 May. The director of the
consortium's Institute for Petrochemicals Processing, Elshad Telyashev,
told the daily that the refinery can be built within three years after a
contract is signed, while at least one year is needed to sign a
contract. Telyashev said the facility will be capable of processing more
than 3 million tons of oil a year. The Bolivian side also expressed
interest in processing gas into diesel fuel. The daily quoted an
unidentified source in the the Vostok leadership, saying the project
will cost upwards of $1.2 billion.British Consul-General Visits Ufa
British Consul General to Yekaterinburg Clive Thompson is visiting Ufa
to participate in a congress of Russian oil and gas manufacturers,
Bashinform reported on 26 May. On 25 May, Thompson met with Bashkir
Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development and Industry Minister
Nikolai Puchnin to discuss economic cooperation. The schedule includes
also a meeting with the heads of the republican Construction,
Architecture, and Transport Ministry.
Great Britain tops the list of Bashkortostan's economic partners.
Bilateral trade totaled $600 million in 2004. Twelve joint
Bashkir-British ventures operate in Bashkortostan.Bashkir Congress Leader Calls For Bashkir Cossack Revival
The chairman of the World Bashkir Congress' executive committee, Ekhmet
Soleimanov, told a news conference on 27 May that the concepts of
"national republics" and "separatism" should in no way be linked in the
way that some politicians insist, Bashinform reported the same day.
Soleimanov said Bashkirs voluntarily joined the Russian state and always
enjoyed certain privileges -- the most important of which was the right
of ownership of ancestral lands, which was annulled after the 1917
October revolution. The Bashkir Cossacks suffered the same fate, he
said, adding, "We consider ourselves Cossacks in our souls and are proud
of this." Citing a draft federal law on state service of the Russian
Cossacks passed in its first reading recently by the State Duma,
Soleimanov called for a revival of Bashkir Cossacks as well. "We always
lived in peace on this land and protected this peace," he said.
Compiled by Gulnara KhasanovaWEEKLY REVIEW FROM IDEL-URAL REGION
Pro-Government Mari Organizations Disagree With European Parliament
Pro-government Mari national organizations approved an appeal to the European Parliament on 26 May, expressing their indignation towards the parliament's 12 May resolution on the state of the Mari people, "Kommersant-Volga-Urals" reported.
Representatives from Estonia, Hungary, and Finland initiated the resolution in response to the slayings of three Mari journalists in 2001 and an assault in February on the editor in chief of the international Finno-Ugric newspaper "Kudo+Kody," Vladimir Kozlov. He is also the chairman of the Russia-wide Mari public movement Mer kanash and the All-Mari Council. The European Parliament demanded an independent investigation into the attacks in Marii El. In their appeal, Mari organization leaders said that the European parliamentarians were basing their information on rumors.
"People and civic organizations who provided you with information do not have a moral right to speak on behalf of the Mari people," the appeal said. The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement earlier calling the resolution an "inflaming speculative political campaign." Kozlov believes signatories are "involuntary people dependent on money allocated from the local budget." He said the Mari National Congress was established in 2002 by republican authorities.Yabloko In Nizhnii Holds Demonstrates In Support Of Khodorkovskii
Yabloko regional branch in Nizhnii Novgorod held a small demonstration in support of former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovskii in the city on 26 May, Regnum reported. The 10 demonstrators hoped to attract attention to the Khodorkovskii trial, which they said has been insufficiently covered by the media. The protesters passed out brochures containing Khodorkovskii's final speech in court and buttons calling for his release.Referendum To Preserve Direct Elections Of Perm Krai Governor Not Permitted
The Perm Oblast Election Commission rejected an appeal to hold a referendum in Perm Oblast to maintain direct elections of the Prem Krai governor on 26 May, Regnum reported. The commission said the objections raised by the citizens' group don't meet the requirements as stated in Article 12 of the federal law on electoral rights and referendums.Son Of AvtoVAZ's Top Manager Kidnapped...
The son of the AvtoVAZ Financial Director Galina Kazakova was kidnapped on 26 May, "Kommersant-Daily" reported. The Tolyatti Interior Directorate appealed to city residents to help law-enforcement agencies find Yevgenii Kazakov. He was abducted while standing on the street with his wife and daughter in the late evening. A taxi pulled up beside him and he was forced inside. AvtoVAZ Chairman of the Board Vladimir Kadannikov said a meeting of the AvtoVAZ leadership was held to discuss the incident and the plant is ready to provide any help to aide the investigation. Kazakov is a cofounder of the Atlantida Company that owns a club, bowling center, and bathhouse....As Yuganskneftegaz Top Manager Assaulted
Yuganskneftegaz Deputy General Director Sergei Burov was shot in Nefteyugansk on 26 May, Interfax reported. Surgeons removed one bullet from Burov's abdomen and said he will survive.
Investigators believe Burov's activity as a Duma deputy motivated the attackers, "Izvestiya" reported. Burov oversaw several audits of the financial activities of city companies. He openly criticized Nefteyugansk Agroindustrial Association's leadership, accusing it of mishandling state budget money. He also oversaw an investigation into the sale of 70 cottages in Krasnodar Krai that previously were municipal property. It is believed the results of that investigation resulted in the dismissal of Nefteyugansk Mayor Viktor Tkachev.
Burov became Yuganskneftegaz deputy general director in charge of personnel policy two months ago. Previously he headed the company's Regional Policy Department. Burov is also the head of the local branch of Unified Russia and a Nefteyugansk City Duma deputy. Between 1999 and 2003 he was the Duma speaker.Samara Oblast's Titov Expresses Concern Over Assault On Media Holding Head
Samara Oblast Governor Konstantin Titov chaired a 24 May meeting with law enforcement agency heads to discuss last week's attempted murder of Media-Samara holding General Director Dmitrii Suryaninov (see "RFE/RL Tatar-Bashkir Weekly Review," 24 May 2005), Regnum reported. Titov told reporters following the meeting that such incidents threaten the development of a civil society. He said oblast Prosecutor Aleksandr Yefremov is responsible for the investigation, adding, "any help needed from the governor and the Samara Oblast government will be immediately provided."Students Protest Reform Of Education Sector In Udmurtia
Udmurt State University students held a meeting on 20 May to protest planned education reforms, Regnum reported. About 100 protesters demanded that student scholarships be increased and a decision to introduce a bachelor's degree and magistracy be reconsidered. No representative met with the students.IzhAvto To Lay-Off 4,000 Employees
Udmurtia's IzhAvto will lay-off 4,000 of its 12,000 employees by the end of the year, Regnum reported. Plant owner and Samara-based SOK automotive group hopes to cut expenses after experiencing a 40 percent fall in demand last year.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova