5 May 2000
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Shaimiev: Putin Has Every Chance To Form Effective Government
Tatarstan's President, Mintimer Shaimiev, told Interfax on 3 May that the new Russian government due to be formed by President-elect Vladimir Putin will be totally capable of reforming the social and economic spheres. Shaimiev said the government will carry all the responsibility for the results of those reforms. Unlike its predecessors, he continued, the new cabinet will be deprived of the right to accuse the State Duma, where the progovernmental forces make up a majority today, of not taking necessary decisions. Shaimiev said that on the one hand, an extremely favorable situation is taking shape for the government, but on the other hand, that situation brings with it a lot of responsibility. Tatarstan's leader considers Vladimir Putin to have all the opportunities to form a stable Cabinet of Ministers. He said "the most important thing is that it should be a team of professionals and like-minded persons. In his turn, Putin should be morally responsible for a premier who will be confirmed by State Duma at his suggestion." In Shaimiev's words, during Boris Yeltsin's presidency, the Russian government had more independence but when the cabinet suffered a setback, the president, as a rule, preferred to stand to one side. Shaimiev continued "due to objective reasons, Boris Nikolayevich couldn't always manage to know all about current events. When...it was necessary to take responsibility for the state of affairs in the country, the president lumped the responsibility onto the government and sacrificed it." Shaimiev noted that judging by his energetic actions, Putin will feel "full responsibility" for his government. In Shaimiev's opinion, the country is not likely to face frequent resignations of the government. He said that it should be made a rule that "if I as President have formed and proposed [a government] to the parliament, then I carry all the responsibility both for the successes and failures of the cabinet, considering them to be my own."
Kazan Plant Produces New Strategic Bomber For Russian Air Forces
For the first time in 12 years, a TU-160 strategic bomber has been produced at the Kazan aircraft plant for the Russian Air Force, "Vremya i Dengi" reported on 4 May, citing Interfax. The new plane is the 15th Russian long-range plane. Officials from the headquarters of the Russian Air Force were quoted as saying that another TU-160 aircraft is being completed at the Kazan plant.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova