20 April 2001
WEEKLY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Tatarstan's Duma Deputies Support Importing Nuclear Waste...
Duma deputies representing Tatarstan Fandas Safiullin, Salimkhan Akhmetkhanov, Flura Ziyatdinova, Sergey Shashurin, Farida Gaynullina and Nail Khusnitdinov voted for legislation that will allow Russia to import nuclear waste, "Vechernyaya Kazan" reported on 18 April. But deputies Alexander Saliy, Ivan Grachev voted against the package. Oleg Morozov and Mikhail Rokitskiy abstained from the vote.
...But Local Environmentalists Don't
The same day Tatarstan's nature preservation society leader Tatyana Lyadova said that her group remains totally opposed to such imports and will continue to try to block the legislation allowing them.
Iraqi Vice President To Visit Tatarstan
Iraqi Vice President Takha Yasin Ramadan is due to arrive in Kazan on 20 April, RFE\RL's Kazan Bureau reported. He is to discuss bilateral cooperation in the oil and automotive sectors.
New System of Interbudgetary Relations Proposed
State Council speaker Farit Mukhametshin has sent a list of proposed changes in the budgetary relations between Moscow and the regions to central officials, Tatarinform reported on 20 April.
Deputy PM Says Less Bureaucracy is Needed
First deputy Prime Minister Ravil Muratov sharply criticized procedures of local agencies and said that the republic needs fewer bureaucracy in the future, local news outlets reported on 19 April.
Chally Officials Unhappy with Military Draft Procedures
Chally military commissioner Anas Sadiykov said on 17 April that only 7,5% of the potential recruits had been drafted during the autumn 2000 call-up, adding that many potential draftees "simulate illness after receiving a draft notice." Meanwhile, the same day, Chally deputy mayor Yevgeny Anikin said that Kazan University branch students should not be given draft deferments.
German Company Pulls Out of Tatarstan
Citing continued non-payment for its services, Germany's Kemna construction company has decided to pull out of Tatarstan and Russia in general, "Izvestiya" reported on 13 April. Kazan alone owes the company more than $3.5 million for building roads.
Opposition Roundtable Denounces Election Results
The Opposition Roundtable says it does not recognize the results of the recent presidential elections in Tatarstan because of numerous violations in the election process, "Novaya Vecherka" reported.
TPC Demonstrates in Favor of Chechen Leader
Ten members of the Tatar Public Center picketed a ceremony marking the departure for Chechnya of Tatarstan militia officers, local media reported on 15 April. The protesters held signs in support of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
WEEKLY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Ufa, Izhevsk to Cooperate in Automobile Production
President Murtaza Rakhimov and Udmurtia President Aleksandr Volkov on 17 April in Ufa agreed to set up a joint venture between Izhmash and UMPO to produce automobile engines for Izhmash-Avto, Bashinform reported.
Preparations For Salavat Yulaev Jubilee Start
President Murtaza Rakhimov on 18 April signed a decree on preparing for the celebration of 250-year jubilee of national hero Salavat Yulaev in 2004, Bashinform reported.
Housing Construction Concerns Government
Prime Minister Rafael Baidavletov sharply criticized housing constructing companies saying that their work is "unsatisfactory," RFE/RL's Ufa correspondent reported on 19 April. Baidavletov said that as a result of their shortcomings, Bashkortostan now ranks 68th provision among Russian regions on the availability of housing.
Most Orphans have been Abandoned by Their Parents
Healthcare Minister Saniya Shagarova on 13 April said that only 2.4 percent of 347 children living in republic homes for children are real orphans and that more than 40 percent of them had been left at these institutions by their parents. Some 40 percent stay there temporarily, she said.
Ufa Authorities Concerned by Rising Bread Prices
The Ufa administration appealed to the government for subsidies to reduce the price of bread, Bashinform reported on 13 April.
Ufa Successful in Mortgage Development
The Ufa mortgage credit agency on 13 April said that in 2000 it arranged 170 mortgage loans, 70 percent more than in Moscow and 34 times as many as in St. Petersburg, Bashinform reported.
Bashneft Seeks to Pump More Oil in Siberia
Nur Saifullin on 13 April said that West Siberia is of priority interest for Bashneft, Bashinform reported. He said that Bashneft is developing three deposits and that it employees some 2500 people in this effort.
Industrial Production Up But Light Industry Output Declines
The state statistics committee on 13 April said that industrial production had grown over three months but that output by light industry producers had fallen, Bashinform reported.
Bashneft to Help Alfa-Eko Pump Oil on Sakhalin
The cabinet and Alfa-Eko have signed a five-year cooperation agreement on the joint development of oil deposits on Sakhalin, "Vedomosti" reported on 18 April. The cooperation accord also calls for joint development in other sectors as well.
HIV Infections Surge
Bashinform reported that 606 republic residents have been diagnosed with HIV this year, 35 times the number of a year ago. Fifty-two of them are young people between 15 and 17.
Bashkortostan's Armenians Unite
The Union of Russia's Armenians has set up a branch in Bashkortostan, Bashinform reported on 19 April.
Opposition Leader Unhappy With Bashkortostan Parliament
Opposition leader Aleksandr Arinin on 17 April told "Otechestvo" that there is now a constructive opposition in Bashkortostan represented by the Equality (Ravnopravie) movement which unites Rus and the Tatar Public Center, RFE/RL�s Ufa correspondent reported.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova
WEEKLY REVIEW FROM IDEL-URAL REGION
Chuvashia Elects New Speaker
The parliament on 17 April elected deputy chairman Mikhail Mikhailovsky, 54, as its new speaker, ITAR-TASS reported. His predecessor Nikolai Ivanov was dismissed by 54 of 87 votes after 55 deputies signed the appeal charging that he had violated parliamentary regulations. Ivanov said he will challenge the dismissal in court.
New Law on Chuvashia Presidential Vote Approved on First Reading
Chuvashia's State Council on 18 April passed on first reading draft laws regulating presidential elections, strana.ru reported. According to the draft, the elections are to be held together and will be valid if at least 25 percent of voters take part instead of the 50 percent rate that had been required.
FSB General to Run for Chuvashia's Presidency
The leader of the Russian "Party For Future" in Chuvashia Nikolai Stepanov on 13 April said that his party has asked FSB Lt.Gen. Stanislav Voronov to run for republic president, strana.ru reported. He now serves as first deputy head of the Russian FSB investigation department. Voronov said he has been asked by other groups to run as well and will do so.
Twice More Deaths than Births in Chuvashia
Chuvashia's registry office on 13 April said that the death rate had exceeded the birth rate in 2001 by 50 percent, VolgaInform reported.
Energy Tariffs Increased in Chuvasia
Energy prices for Chuvashia residents went up some 30 percent on 16 April, ITAR-TASS reported.
Tatar Youth Union Formed in Marii El
The Tatar Youth Union has been set up in Marii El, regions.ru reported on 15 April.
Marii El Trade Unions Protest Price Increases for Services
The Marii El trade unions picketed on 17-19 April the Yoshkar-Ola administration against recent price rises for municipal services, strana.ru reported.
Dutch Provides Aid for Mordovia's Needy Families
The Red Cross of the Netherlands has given $5500 to help large families in Mordovia, regions.ru reported on 17 April.
Nizhny, Chechen Republic Signs Cooperation Agreement
Nizhny Novgorod oblast and the Chechen Republic on 13 April signed an agreement calling for cooperation in healthcare, education, science, and culture sectors, RBC reported. The program provides for the treatment of Chechnya residents, personnel training and organization of rest for Chechen students in Nizhny Novgorod. The oblast will also help rebuild the war-ravaged republic.
Consumers Cut Off Energy, Heating In Saransk
Mordovenergo has begun switching off energy and heating to Saransk residents and enterprises because of a 300 million ruble ($10.4 million) debt, ITAR-TASS reported on 17 April.
Saratov Legislature Concerned About Oblast Energy Debt
The Saratov oblast duma appealed on 18 April to Russian President and Federal Assembly Speakers to freeze energy and gas prices and to restructure the Saratov oblast heating and energy debt which now totals 2.3 billion rubles ($80 million).
Udmurtia Federation Council Representatives Named
The Udmurtia State Council elected on 18 April Izhevsk Mayor Anatoly Saltykov and head of the State Science and Education Committee Viktor Shudegov as republic representatives to the Federation Council, strana.ru reported.
Energy Prices Rise in Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk regional energy commission head Aleksandr Anashkin on 13 April told strana.ru that energy prices will be increased in the oblast by some 25 percent as of 1 May. Several days earlier, Governor Vladimir Shamanov had told local trade unions that no prices would be increased unless salaries rose as well. But meanwhile, Ulyanovskenergo on 19 April cut off three-quarters of all residences in the oblast because of the two billion rubles ($69.3 million) debt consumers owe it, strana.ru reported.
Ulyanovsk Administration to Repay Kometa Energy Debt
The Ulyanovsk administration on 12 April said that it will pay Ulyanovskenergo 200,000 rubles ($7,000) a day to cover the energy debt of the Kometa defense enterprise which had been cut off energy on 11 April, VolgaInform reported. Kometa general manager Sergei Logachev said that the Ulyanovsk administration owes his company 9.5 million rubles ($330,000) for heating and water supply.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova