25 July 2000
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Tatarstan Prepares To Celebrate Sovereignty Anniversary
The chairman of Tatarstan's State Council, Farit Mukhametshin, held an organizational meeting on 24 July to prepare for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Tatarstan's Sovereignty Declaration, Tatar-inform reported. Mukhametshin said that he was often asked by residents during his trip to the republic's agricultural areas last week whether Tatarstan's sovereignty was cancelled by the ruling of the Russian Constitutional Court that struck out legislation on sovereignty from six of Russia's territorial entities. Mukhametshin said that Tatarstan's authorities decided to make the 10th anniversary celebrations a big affair, and that preparations for it are in full swing. He said that the Constitutional Court's verdict no doubt has political meaning but was adopted without the participation of representatives from the six territorial entities. Many guests are expected for the anniversary session of the State Council on 28 August.
KamAZ Pays Some Debts
The KamAZ truck concern's press service reported on 24 July that the company has paid off some 1.7 billion rubles worth of obligations for it's third bond issue, and that the company's debt has been similarly reduced. The Russian Finance Ministry and the Imperial Bank became the owners of the "obligation packages." Afterwards, the Russian Federation in the person of the Property Relations Ministry owns 36 percent of KamAZ shares; the Republic of Tatarstan 14 percent; big shareholders and juridical officials 20.5 percent, and private citizens 1 percent.
TPC Appeals For Volga And Ural Peoples Confederation
Tatarstan's nationalist Tatar Public Center (TPC) urged the people and leaders of the national republics of the Russian Federation to unite into a confederation, Tatar-inform reported on 24 July. The appeal was prompted by recent steps by the Russian Constitutional Court to revoke decisions by the citizens of republics that achieved some degree of state sovereignty. TPC Presidium members consider such measures to be a cornerstone of politics against the national-state sovereignty of people. It is noted in the appeal that the republics of Volga and the Ural region could unite into their own confederation and create a common parliament capable of forming executive bodies. In the opinion of the TPC's leaders, the confederative parliament may be formed by the legislative bodies of national republics through the election of an equal number of representatives from each republic.
Tatar And Bashkir Leaders Concerned With Tuben Kama Hydroelectric Station
The future of the Tuben Kama hydroelectric power station was discussed at a meeting between Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev and Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov on one side and Bashkortostan's premier, Rafael Baidavletov, on the other, Tatar-inform reported on 24 July. It was noted at the meeting that if the level of the Tuben Kama reservoir is raised to the 68 meter level, then pastures, farmland, and oil wells in Bashkortostan will be submerged under water. About 13 billion rubles will have to be allocated for the strengthening of river and lake banks. The two sides agreed that specialists from Tatarstan will visit Ufa soon to calculate the results of raising the water level and to discuss possibilities for Kazan to pay compensation.
By Gulnara Khasanova