6 April 2001
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev Finds Nothing New About Power Sharing in Putin Speech
President Mintimer Shaimiev on 5 April said that "President Vladimir Putin had said nothing new about power sharing between the federal center and the subjects of the federation in his speech to the Federal Assembly." But he added that "everything we had developed was included in the speech."
TPC Praises NTV For Criticism of Russian Campaign in Chechnya
The Tatar Public Center on 5 April sent a letter to NTV stating its support for the company's journalists and thanking them for protesting the Chechen war, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported.
KamAZ, Scania Seek Closer Cooperation
First Deputy Prime Minister Ravil Muratov and KamAZ general manager Ivan Kostin during a visit to Stockholm on 5 April met with Scania president Lei Ostling to sign the memorandum on understanding between the two automobile companies, Tatar-inform reported.
KamAZ Boosts Export�
KamAZ plant general manager Pavel Poltorykhin on 5 April told ITAR-TASS that his enterprise had doubled exports in the first quarter of 2001 compared to the same period a year ago.
�But Fails To Fulfill Business-Plan
KamAZ acting executive director Sergei Zyablitsev on 5 April said that his company had not met its March business-plan by some 17 percent, tatnews.ru reported.
Unemployment Declines
The state statistics committee on 5 April said that the official unemployment rate in Tatarstan is now one percent, a decline of almost a third from the rate a year ago, Tatar-inform reported. But officials said that the real rate might be higher because many without jobs remain unregistered.
Tatenergo Joins Charity Action
Tatenergo employees allotted 673,000 rubles from their wages to the charity fund for the republic's needy, Tatar-inform reported on 5 April.
Alabuga Under Flood Threat
Alabuga suburbs are threatened with flooding, "Vecherniye Chelny" reported on 5 April. The situation has been aggravated by Moscow's unwillingness so far to raise the water level in the Tuben Kama reservoir as Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov has requested.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Parliament Continues Harmonization
The legislature at its 5 April session amended laws on land fees, private education, municipal heads, emergency situations, and municipal services to bring them into line with federal legislation, the presidential press service reported. The parliament also rescinded the law on pardons and passed on the second reading bills on wages and consumer protections. At the same time, the deputies proposed that the Russian Duma amend its laws on the taxation of small businesses and local self-government.
Bashkortostan, Saxony to Boost Ties
Press and Mass Information Minister Zufar Timerbulatov and the republic publishing house general manager Anatoly Bezrukavnikov met with Germany's Saxony economics society Russian projects manager Shteffan Bart to discuss cooperation in printing industry and information, Bashinform reported on 5 April.
Presidential Council Approves Rakhimov's Annual Message
The Presidential Council on 5 April approved the annual message of Murtaza Rakhimov to the parliament. Rakhimov for his part called Vladimir Putin's message "realistic" and called for its implementation.
More Reaction to Putin's Speech
Duma regulations committee deputy chairman Zainulla Bagyshaev on 4 April praised Vladimir Putin's call for judicial reform but he criticized Putin's failure to discuss military reform. Another Duma deputy, the deputy head of the ecology committee Rim Bakiev said that Putin's latest personnel moves show that he is transforming Russia into a presidential republic. And he added that "we should not hinder the president in his positive initiatives but rather promote consolidation of society."
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova