2 November 2004
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Tatarstan To Open Industrial District In Tuben Kama
The Tatar government will establish an industrial district at the site of the Tuben Kama Petrochemical Company (Nizhnekamskneftekhim) to stimulate small- and medium-sized businesses operating in the petrochemical sector, "Kommersant" reported on 2 November. According to the daily, Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev announced the move when visiting Tuben Kama along with a Russian presidential delegation in November 2003. During that visit, Shaimiev agreed with representatives from the Italian Emilia-Romania province about sharing experience in the operation of industrial districts. Tatar Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov told his cabinet on 1 November in Tuben Kama that a nonprofit organization will be established to oversee the development of the district.
Duma Deputy Representing Tatarstan Says Work Has Become More Complicated
Meeting with leaders of Tatarstan's Trade Unions Federation on 1 November, Russian State Duma deputy Mikhail Rokitskii told reporters that working in the present Russian parliament "is different and more complicated than the previous one," RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the next day. In particular, he said, "it has become more difficult to influence the government's opposition."
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Bashkortostan's LDPR Criticized For Lack Of Organization
During the 30 October meeting of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) branch in Bashkortostan, local party activists complained that the party leadership in Moscow ignores them, while the party leadership criticized them for lack of organization, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported on 1 November. Oleg Aleshin, the head of the LDPR Duma faction, said at the same meeting that his party supported Russian President Vladimir Putin's 13 September proposed political reforms. Currently, 11 local LDPR offices in Bashkortostan have an estimated 585 active members and five deputies in regional and municipal councils. During the 2003 Duma vote, Bashkortostan submitted the third highest share of votes cast for LDPR across Russia with 10.54 percent, outnumbered only by Moscow and the Moscow Oblast.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi