4 April 2001
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
New Flight Standards Seen Helping Kazan Aircraft Plant
New and higher standards for aircraft will force Russian cargo companies to purchase planes from the Kazan Aircraft Plant, according to Nazir Kireev, the defense industry advisor to Tatarstan's Prime Minister. He said that the plant should be able to sell up to 20 of the $25 million Tu-214s in the near future.
Russian Prosecutor Blacklists Tatarstan's Constitution
Strana.ru reported on 3 April that Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov has appealed to President Vladimir Putin to issue a warning to the governments of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and Ingushetia "for not implementing the ruling of the [federal] Constitution Court on bringing their constitutions in conformity" with the Russian one. Ustinov said that if the governments don't respond quickly, the Duma should consider dissolving the governments involved.
Kazan to Switch to Latin Script by September
Irek Arslanov, the chief of the Kazan city nationalities affairs department, said that all organizations and enterprises in the city are required to shift from Cyrillic to Latin script for Tatar by September 2001. He said that such a switch will make it easier for people abroad to read the language. Signs in the city will be gradually shifted over the next decade.
Tatarstan TV Prepares to Change Channels
Tatarstan State TV has set up its own transmitters around the republic in order to have separate transmissions of its broadcasts and those of RTR, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported on 3 April. This shift will also allow Tatarstan television to begin a full program during the day.
Shaimiev Among Russia's Top 20 Politicians
The Vox Populi public opinion research service said on 3 April that President Mintimer Shamiev is the 17th most popular politician in Russia.
HIV Infections Increase
Tatarstan has registered 1991 people infected with HIV so far, the Tatar press reported on 4 April. Infections are increasing especially rapidly in prisons and in Kazan.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
President Focuses on Magnitogorsk Raw Material Delays
President Murtaza Rakhimov met Chelyabinsk Governor Petr Sumin in Magnitogorsk to discuss the delays in the delivery of raw materials to Bashkortostan's ore processing facilities, the Urals Information Bureau reported on 2 April.
Bashkortostan Ranks Second in Spring Draft
Republic military officials said that the republic ranked second among the country's regions and republics in supplying draftees, Bashinform reported don 4 April. Eighty-five percent of the 12,500 men drafted from Bashkortostan serve in "high responsibility posts," Chief Military Commissioner Vladimir Trofimov said.
Ufa Industrial Fair Seeks to Extend Business Contacts
Light industry producers of the Ural region gathered in Ufa on 3 April to open the Urallegprom fair, aromi.ru reported. The event is intended to promote broader contacts and to help solve raw material delivery problems.
Ufa to Monitor Privatization Process
Rais Mannapov, the first deputy minister of economy and anti-monopoly policy told the Bashkortostan government on 3 April that his agency will monitor all aspects of privatization over the next two years.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi