28 February 2000
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev Supports Land Privatization
Tatarstan's president, Mintimer Shaimiev, said on 25 February that Tatarstan is ready to get involved in the selling and purchasing of land. Shaimiev told Tatar-inform that the population of the republic would support the idea in a referendum on private property if such a vote were held in Russia, and would confirm Tatarstan's law on the issue which has already been adopted. Shaimiev said there may be two ways to decide the problem of the conflicting legislation. The first is to eliminate controversies in the State Duma by adopting a framework law permitting the buying and selling of land. He said that the second way is to hold a referendum on the issue, but in this case it would be necessary to adopt a law allowing territorial entities in Russia to be able to adapt their own laws. Shaimiev said the absence of permission for buying and selling of land has become an obstacle to greater market reforms, and in a half a year the issue will come to a head. Shaimiev said he believe's, however, that most Russian entities are not ready to adopt a law on land privatization. He said they will need at least a couple of years to complete the registration and evaluation of all the land plots available. He said Tatarstan has already done this.
Elections Results In Tatarstan Confirmed
Russian Central Election Committee official Yevgenii Kolyushin told a news conference in Kazan on 24 February that there are no reasons to doubt the results of the State Duma elections held in Tatarstan's Idel, Moscow, and Elmet okrugs. The investigation was initiated by a complaint from Tatarstan's branch of the Communist Party, which said there were legal violations in these okrugs during the election campaign and the 19 December election. Representatives from the Central Election Committee spent four days examining the conditions and results at more than 15 polling districts. Kolyushin said they didn't find any irregularities between the data before and after the ballot. Kolyushin said, however, that there were violations during the election campaign and that, among others things, up-to-date information on the results were announced late. Kolyushin said that delays in presenting information can induce some to complain about faulty election tallies.
Shaimiev Concerned With Debts Of Oil Processing Companies
President Shaimiev criticized the activities of the republican tire company Nizhnekamskshina on 25 February, Tatar-inform reported. Shaimiev made his comments at a meeting of the company's Managers Board in Tuben Kama, adding that the debts of Nizhnekamskshina and its insufficient activities affect the republic's economy. Shaimiev also viewed the construction of an oil refinery in Tuben Kama. He said the oil processing enterprise should be operational next year.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova