2 July 2001
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Mukhametshin Comments On Tatarstan�s Constitution Harmonization
Speaker Farid Mukhametshin on 30 June told strana.ru that that �the formula specifying Tatarstan�s status as associated with Russia must be resolved and a response having a single meaning must be done whether we are within the Russian Federation or not.� He said that strict power sharing will remove obstacles to harmonization at both levels. At the same time, Mukhametshin said that the bilateral treaty between Kazan and Moscow is a unique one among similar documents as it is the only legal act confirming that Tatarstan belongs to Russia and consequently must be preserved. He said that forcing amendments to the Russian Constitution could worsen the status of republics.
Chechnya To Use Tatarstan�s Constitution as a Model
Bislan Gantamirov on 29 June told ITAR-TASS that Tatarstan�s Constitution will be serve as a model for the development of a Chechen constitution and that Chechen representatives will visit Kazan in the near future to discuss it.
A Bicameral Legislature in Tatarstan?
Tatarstan�s State Council has appealed to the Russian Constitutional Court asking whether federation subjects can form bicameral parliaments with one chamber including representatives of administrative and municipal districts, strana.ru reported on 29 June.
Shashurin Escapes Legal Responsibility
A Moscow court has freed Duma deputy Sergei Shashurin from civil responsibility in the suit of Mayor Yuri Luzhkov against him and ORT journalists Sergei Dorenko and Viktor Dyatlikovich, Utro.ru reported.
Tatarstan Purchases Siberian Combines
Agriculture Minister Marat Akhmetov met with Sibir machine building holding heads to discuss cooperation, tatnews.ru reported. The sides agreed on the delivery of 40 combines and 150 trailers to the republic and the establishment of a Sibmashholding service center in Tatarstan.
Independent Companies Settling Relations With UES
Representatives of the independent electricity companies Tatenergo, Bashkirenergo, and Irkutskenergo agreed with UES to introduce changes in subscriber fees, RusEnergy.com reported.
Tatarstan�s Children to Attend Jewish Camp
The Tatarstan Jewish religious community has arranged a summer camp near Nizhny Novgorod where 40 children from the republic will spend their holidays, Tatar-inform reported. A secretary of Kazan Rabbi said that children will study national customs and principles of Judaism.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Bashkortostan, Saxony To Boost Ties
State Nature Protection Committee head Alfred Farhutdinov and Saxony�s Ecology and Geology Department president Mikhael Kintze on 29 June agreed to set up in Ufa an environmental center using German equipment and technologies, Bashinform reported.
Rakhimov Meets with Putin
President Murtaza Rakhimov on 28 June took part in a meeting of the Russian State Council Presidium, the presidential press service reported. After the meeting, he met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss current developments in Bashkortostan and Russia. Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov the same day, Rakhimov proposed to set up a holding uniting the Ufa, Yaroslavl, and Rybinsk motor plants and called for governmental support for production of the Kamov helicopter at the Kumertau aviation plant. Klebanov promised to promote the project and confirmed that government plans to order a large consignment of Ka-226 helicopters in Kumertau. On 29 June, Rakhimov took part in a Federation Council session.
Bashkortostan�s S&P Rating Stable
Standard & Poor�s confirmed Bashkortostan�s and Tatarstan�s ratings as �B-� and �SD� respectively, Interfax-AFI reported on 29 June. Prognosis of the Bashkortostan rating is stable. The �SD� rating means �selective default on separate obligations while other obligations are paid in time.� The �B� rating means that there may be �vulnerability under unfavorable business, finance and economic circumstances but currently payments on financial obligations are possible.�
Government Develops Employment Program
The cabinet on 29 June adopted a 1.2 billion ruble ($41.5 million) three-year program to promote employment, the presidential press service reported.
Bashkreditbank Obtains Highest Rating in Russia
Bashkreditbank is the only bank in Rusia to receive RusRating's BBB rating by RusRating, Bashinform reported on 29 June.
Chelyabinsk Bashkirs Hold Oblast Congress
Bashkirs in Chelyabinsk on 29 June gathered for their second congress to discuss preservation of their national language and culture, Ural-press-inform reported. A delegation from Bashkortostan attended. Some 190,000 Bashkirs reside in the oblast and Bashkir paper �Uralym� is issued there. On 30 June, Congress delegates took part in Sabantui held in a Chelyabinsk park.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova