10 August 2005
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Russian Trade And Economic Development Minister Visits Tatarstan
Russian Trade and Economic Development Minister German Gref arrived in Tatarstan on 9 August for meetings with President Mintimer Shaimiev, top government officials, and republican industrial leaders, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the same day. Presenting a report on Tatarstan's major economic priorities, Shaimiev told Gref that republican investment since 2005 have been predominantly oriented toward oil processing rather than extraction. As a result, the republic reportedly contributes 10 percent of the national petrochemical production and 15-20 percent of total investments in that sector nationwide.
Also on 9 August, Gref visited the Chally facilities of automaker KamAZ to discuss the possible sale of a state-owned stake in that venture in 2006. Gref told reporters that the shares will attract foreign investment for the concern's development program. He said the short-term goal for KamAZ management is to take the company public on Russian and London stock exchanges to secure investment for further modernization.
Kazan Policeman Convicted For Torture
The Yanga Savin district court in Kazan sentenced 21-year-old Kazan policeman Vladimir Lyamzin to three years in prison on 8 August for torturing three young detainees suspected of stealing a mobile phone in mid-2004, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the next day. Lyanzin had received a suspended sentence, but that ruling was appealed by the republican prosecutor. The defendant maintained his innocence, but prosecutors argued that he used electric shocks to coerce confessions.
Kazan Helicopter Plant Criticized For Low Output
Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ) is unable to meet the demand of the international market for its Ansat light helicopters due to a lack of assembly parts manufactured by its suppliers, RBK reported on 9 August. KVZ reports an annual production capacity of nine aircraft and is not planning to increase output, while aircraft-industry experts quoted by the business news agency said that KVZ would need to produce at least 500 such units to be profitable.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Vaccine Against Bird Flu To Be Produced In Ufa
The head of the World Health Organization's national flu center, Oleg Kiselev, said on 8 August that production of a vaccine against bird flu in Russia should be launched in Ufa in October, Regnum reported on 9 August. The vaccine will be tested on 20 volunteers in September. A St. Petersburg flu-research institute is also seeking a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to organize production of an bird-flu vaccine.
Rakhimov Pledges Republican Funds For Tatar High School's New Wing
Bashkortostan's President Murtaza Rakhimov has ordered that construction of a new wing of a Tatar high school in Ufa be completed by the end of next school year, an RFE/RL Ufa correspondent reported on 9 August. Rakhimov made his comments during an inspection of the site. He pledged that the government would allocate 15 million rubles ($527,500) required to finish the project. Rakhimov said every child should speak his or her mother tongue.
Meanwhile, speaking at a meeting devoted to developing a state program for preserving and developing the languages of peoples in Bashkortostan, Deputy Prime Minister and Culture and Nationalities Policies Minister Ildus Ileshev stressed the necessity of a new approach to the issue of preservation and developing such languages. Meeting participants generally agreed to finish the draft program by November.
Tatar civic groups in Bashkortostan have so far been unsuccessful in appealing to officials for measures to preserve and develop the Tatar language.
Security Forces Aid Tatarstan During Kazan Millennium Events
A detachment of 265 employees from Bashkortostan's Interior Ministry was expected to leave for Kazan on 10 August to help Tatarstan with security efforts ahead of of Kazan's millennium celebrations, RosBalt reported on 9 August, citing the ministry's press service. Forty-one policemen from Bashkortostan have been working in Tatarstan since mid-July. Bashkortostan security forces are expected to the republic in early September.
27 Kilos Of Illegal Drugs Seized This Year In Bashkortostan
The republican directorate of the federal counternarcotics service has seized more than 27 kilograms of illegal narcotics in Bashkortostan since the beginning of this year, RosBalt reported on 9 August, citing the directorate's press service. The total includes 3.9 kilograms of heroin and more than 11 kilograms of marijuana. During the same period, law-enforcement agencies have filed 70 criminal cases against 50 individuals. Some 40,000 rubles in drug-related fines have been imposed in the first half of the year.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova