26 December 2003
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Synthetic Oil Plant Launched In Tuben Kama
The first in Russia synthetic and semi-synthetic oil plant was launched on 25 December in Tatarstan�s Tuben Kama, intertat.ru, Tatar-inform and other Tatar news agencies reported the same day. The facility that costs $50 million was constructed within three years. The plant is expected to reach its full capacity of 67,000 tons of oil a year by 2005. Currently the demand for synthetic and semi-synthetic oil on the Russian market totals 35,000 tons a year, and additional 20,000 tons are consumed by the Russian Defense Ministry. The Tatneft-Nizhnekamskneftekhimoil company that promotes the project was established in April 2000. Tatneft owns its 74-percent stake, while the rest 26 percent belong to Nizhnekamskneftekhim. Tatneft invested $37 million in the project.
Tu-334 Production To Be Moved To Kazan
Visiting Kazan on 23 December, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Aleshin made critical comments about works on production of a Tu-334 jet that is being constructed �unsatisfactory� in the MiG corporation, Finmarket reported on 25 December. Aleshin informed that the production of the liner will be moved to Kazan.
Tatarstan, Kuibyshev Railway Sign Cooperation Agreement
Head of the Kuibyshev Railway Vyacheslav Lemeshko and Tatar Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov signed on 25 December a cooperation agreement, samara.ru reported the same day. The Tatar government is obliged by the document to promote railway�s reform, regulate tariffs and cover losses of the Kama branch of the railway from local traffic. The railway is to agree with the Tatar government train schedule and pay due revenues to the republican and local budgets. In November and December, similar agreements were signed between Tatarstan and Russian Railways President Gennadii Fadeev and head of the Gorkii Railway Shewket Shaidullin.
Former Russian Justice Minister Approves Tatar Constitutional Court�s Verdict On Latin Script
Former Russian Justice Minister Pavel Krasheninnikov told Ekho Moskvy on 25 December that he sees no legal violations in the Tatar Constitutional Court ruling according to which the republic is empowered to accept a decision on introduction of the Tatar Latin script. The Tatar Constitutional Court considered on 24 December an appeal by the State Council Commission on Science, Education, Culture, and National Issues and ruled that determining script of the Tatar alphabet is a power of the republic itself (see �RFE/RL Tatar-Bashkir Report,� 25 December 2003).
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Rakhimov�s Inauguration Moved Closer To The New Year�s Eve
Marat Yamalov, head of the information board within Bashkir presidential staff told the reporters yesterday that Murtaza Rakhimov�s inauguration ceremony was moved from 27 to 29 December �due to a number of developments in federal center,� an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported. Meanwhile, the republican authorities have not yet published the list of federal officials and leaders of the neighboring regions invited to the event, Rakhimov will reportedly give his presidential oath in both Russian and Bashkir languages. In the second round of recent presidential elections in Bashkortostan, Rakhimov had won 78.01 percent of votes, while his rival, Sergei Veremeenko was reported to get 15.84 percent, the turnout rate was reported at some 70 percent.
Bashkortostan To Combine Municipal, Regional Elections With Russian Presidential Vote
State Assembly announced on 25 December that deputies of Bashkortostan�s city mayors, as well as members of municipal and regional councils will be elected on 14 March 2004, along with the vote for Russian president, Rosbalt reported the same day. Under the Bashkir Elections Code, a candidate deputy should be over 21, while the maximum election fund is limited at some $33,000.
Rakhimov Marks His 10th Anniversary As Bashkir President
According to Bashinform on 25 December, that day marked a 10th anniversary since the institution of presidency in Bashkortostan. Exactly 10 years before that day Murtaza Rakhimov attended his first inauguration. The state-owned agency�s editorial dedicated to the memorable date said that Rakhimov �assessed his first victory as a mandate of trust to his policies as Bashkortostan�s Supreme Council chairman. Today we can state it with assurance that this mandate was confirmed three times.� On 21 December 2003 president Murtaza Rakhimov won his third term in office.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi