23 December 2004
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Tatarstan Amends Budgets To Reflect Additional Revenues
The republican State Council passed amendments to 2004 and 2005 budget legislation in their third readings on 22 December, RFE/RL's Kazan bureau reported the same day. The budgets were amended to include 8.7 billion rubles ($322 million) in additional budget revenues, including 3 billion rubles transferred from Moscow for construction of a subway in Tatarstan's capital -- a project that is to be launched ahead of the city's millennial celebrations in 2005. Finance Minister Radik Giyzatullin said the budget surplus "arose from industrial growth and the resumption of favorable conditions on the global oil market." Tatarstan's 2005 budget still includes a 905 million-ruble gap, which the minister said will be erased by the end of this year.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi
DAILY REVIEW FROM BASHKORTOSTAN
Bashkir Parliamentary Deputy Wants Duma To Legalize Same-Sex Marriages
A Bashkir State Assembly deputy has appealed to the Russian Supreme Court to challenge the validity of Russia's Family Code, which was adopted in 1995, "Kommersant" reported on 23 December. The legislator wants the entire document nullified until revisions are made that better guarantee the right to same-sex marriages.
The Russian and Bashkir family codes have already been subjected to revision proposals from local legislators. Several years ago, Bashkortostan State Assembly Deputy Guzel Sitdikova promoted the idea of legalizing polygamy and, in early 2004, Edvard Murzin suggested that Bashkortostan's family code allow same-sex marriages. Both proposals were subsequently rejected by the parliament.
Compiled by Iskender Nurmi