12 October 2000
WEEKLY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Tatar President Met New Zealand Ambassador
6 October
Tatarstan s President, Mintimer Shaimiev, met the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of New Zealand to the Russian Federation, Jeffrey Kenyon Word in Kazan Kremlin on 6 October, Tatar-inform reported. Shaimiev informed that a state support is given to the agricultural branch in Tatarstan, that s why the branch is in better condition than in the rest Russia. He said that two countries could cooperate in agrarian sphere, as well as in high technologies, industry, and culture. The Ambassador noted that there are common interests in the sphere of agriculture. The sides agreed that to get more knowledge about the New Zealand s experience, it would be necessary to arrange a visit of Tatarstan businessmen to the country. Shaimiev added that Tatarstan is ready any time to receive a New Zealand delegation.
Shaimiev Comments On Russian 2001 Budget
6 October
Tatarstan s President, Minitmer Shaimiev, said that a budget policy of the Russian government which withdraws much more means than earlier from donor -regions while forming the 2001 budget is erroneous, Tatar-inform reported on 6 October. Shaimiev said that such a policy will not allow large regions to develop and increase their own budget ground as well as that of the Russian Federation. At the same time, Shaimiev continued, if Russia, taking into account current problems of the external debt repayment, doesn t take any strict measures, some regions would be doomed to poverty. In this situation the Tatarstan head believes that one of the compromises may be an order when in case the budget income is exceeded, the extra income allocation will be negotiated separately, and part of it will return to the donor -regions.
Duma Is Ready To Grant Governors With Third Term
12 October
Russian authorities wish to keep Shaimiev as the Tatarstan President allowing him to run for the presidential elections for the third time, Russian media comment. The daily Moskovskii komsomolets wrote on 12 October that for the Shaimiev s sake, the Kremlin is ready to recompose federal legislation. Shaimiev who finishes his second presidential term in March is permitted to stand to the third term by the republican electoral law but prohibited by the federal one.
The Duma council should discuss on 12 October and introduce to corresponding committees the amendment to the federal law on common principles of organizing legislative and executive bodies of the Russian Federation territorial entities according to which governors terms will be counted starting from October, 1999, when the law came into force the measure which allows Shaimiev and other governors to be elected once more. The Duma hasn t supported on 11 October an appeal to Tatarstan s State Council initiated by the left wing of the Russian parliament s lower chamber calling to harmonize as soon as possible local electoral legislation with the federal one, the daily Vremya Novostei reported. This fact proves, the daily comments, that the Duma has already been given a clear instruction to provide the third term for regional heads, and first of all for Shaimiev. Moskovskii komsomolets predicts referring to the questioning results that deputies will vote on the issue 50 to 50.
The Chuvashia President, Nikolai Fyodorov, told Interfax on 11 October that a third term issue should be solved by territorial entities but not by federal authority. Fyodorov believes that the State Duma is not furnished with the power to deprive peoples of Tatarstan, Ingushetia, or Moscow of a sovereign right to express their will.
Tatarstan Communists Head Unhappy With Third Term Amendment
11 October
The leader of Tatarstan s communists, a State Duma deputy Aleksandr Salii said in an interview with the daily Vechernyaya Kazan on 11 October that the amendment removing the prohibition for governors to be elected to the third term proposed by the Federation Council will hardly be passed by the Duma. Let them in Tatarstan not to hope for this, Salii added. The deputy also commented negatively on the legislative initiative by the Tatarstan parliament which appealed to the State Duma on 9 October asking to allow appointment of local deputies and presidents elections dates by the territorial entities themselves and to let remove them up and down for three months. He said that the amendment is aimed to give advantages to one side in electoral race.
American Bank And Clinic To Be Opened In Tatarstan
8 October
Tatarstan s Deputy Prime Minister, Ravil Muratov, visited the United States on 1-8 October to hold business negotiations, the daily Vremya i Den gi reported. At a meeting with the Ex-Im Bank board chairman, James Harman, the bank official confirmed a wish to develop cooperation with Tatarstan. The sides agreed to open in Tatarstan a regional development bank to serve prosperous investment projects. Possibilities for the participation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in investment projects were on an agenda of a meeting with the bank deputy vice-president, Charles Frank. In a short time the sides will continue discussing bilateral cooperation. The EBRD official confirmed its constructive position in the restructuring the KamAZ debt to the bank. Muratov made a report at an annual Russian-American investment symposium in Boston. Muratov met with the First Medical Group board chairman, Denis Sokol, to discuss prospects for the opening in Kazan a clinic which would represent the American medical centers network where the American health protection standards are exclusively used.
Tatneft To Hold Tender
10 October
Tatarstan s leading oil company Tatneft intends to attract a Western consulting company to manage the construction of Tuben Kama oil processing plant, the plant s press service reported on 10 October. According to the project, $150 million are to be invested annually during next five years. Tatneft which owns 63 percent of the plant shares has invested so far 1.5 billion rubles. The Tatneft general manager, Shafagat Takhautdinov, said that the plant is scheduled to be put into operation next year. At the first stage, the plant will produce diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, and at the second stage automobile gasoline. The Tuben Kama plant should become the only Russian plant able to process heavy oil with high portion of sera and get oil products corresponding to European quality standards.
Majority of Bashkortostan Population Support Sovereignty
10 October
Social-Economic Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Ufa branch published results of the survey investigating into the relation of Bashkortostan residents toward the republic s sovereignty, Rosbiznesconsalting reported on 10 October. According to the survey data, over 70 percent of Bashkortostan residents back the republican sovereignty, and this group has increased twofold within last two years. Fifty five percent of those having been asked consider that Bashkortostan is to have higher state status in the Russian Federation. Seventy percent of respondents believe that sovereignty would provide stability and interethnic consent in Bashkortostan. Positive evaluation of the political situation in the republic was given by 73 percent of respondents.
Putin Congratulates Bashkortostan People
11 October
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, congratulated Bashkortostan residents with the Republic Day, the presidential press service reported on 11 October. Putin noted that Bashkortostan is currently one of the largest industrial entities of the Russian Federation. Putin expressed his belief that concern about native land and good labor traditions will provide republic s prosperity and help create strong and united Russia. The deputy presidential plenipotentiary representative to the Volga federal okrug, Vladimir Zorin, who participates in the anniversary celebrations in Ufa, introduced the chief federal inspector on Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov on 10 October.
Bashkort Constitutional Court Head Comments On Sovereignty Issue
3 October
A question on Bashkortostan s full political independence has never been put forward and will never arise, the Bashkort Constitutional Court chairman Ildus Adigamov told a news conference in Ufa on 3 October devoted to the anniversary of Sovereignty Declaration being celebrated on 11 October. Adigamov said that the republic has political sovereignty strictly within authority provided by the 1994 power-sharing treaty between the Russian Federation and Bashkiria. He added that treaties which act today, among them on Bashkortostan sovereignty, are as a matter of fact immortal and permanent and no one side has a right unilaterally to refuse perform or recognize them. Adigamov said that the opinion of some experts that over 50 republican laws contradict federal legislation is disputable and called it lawyers theoretical disputes.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova