30 June 2000
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Results Of Tatarstan Parliament Session
The plenary session of Tatarstan's State Council appointed Kafil Amirov as a republican chief prosecutor on 29 June, an RFE/RL correspondent in Kazan reported the same day. The republic's president, Mintimer Shaimiev, told the deputies that his predecessor, Sayfikhan Nafiyev, had retired, insisting on it despite pleas to stay from Shaimiev and Russia's prosecutor-general. Earlier reports said he had been forced to resign. Before retiring, Nafiyev addressed the republican parliament numerous times concerning conformity problems regarding Tatarstan's legislation and federal laws. The same day, Tatarstan's parliament voted to appoint Nafiyev to head the republic's Constitutional Court. Amirov's candidacy was the only one proposed by the federal prosecutor to Tatarstan's parliament. After his election, Amirov told reporters that his main task will be preserving all the positive portions in Tatarstan's legislation. He added that other Russian regions later copied some of Tatarstan's laws. Aleksandr Shtanin, a State Council deputy and the leader of the opposition Equality and Legality (RIZ) party, proposed creating a special commission in the parlia,the prosecutor-general and with the proposed adjustments to republican and federal legislation. That proposal was rejected, with the majority stating that every prosecutor protest should be considered according to the federal law on prosecutors. State Council speaker Farit Mukhametshin also noted that both the Tatarstan and Bashkortostan republics offered Moscow the establishment of joint working groups on modifying republican laws to fit federal legislation. Also on 29 June, deputy Rashit Vagizov was elected to the post of special parliamentary representative on human rights in Tatarstan. The next plenary session of the State Council will take place in August.
Tatenergo Turns Off Electric Switch On Debtors
Tatarstan's Taenergo company cut electricity supplies to a machinery plant called Kalinin, the Dalniy factory, and a rubber recycling factory in Kazan on 29 June in response to enormous unpaid electricity bills. According to Tatarstan television the same day, these factories are currently working on orders from the Russian Ministry of Defense. Tatenergo reportedly expects quick repayment of the debts because of the urgency of the contracts between the Russian ministry and the factories that owe for electricity. Tataenergo's press service announced on 30 June that the total debt of electricity consumers in Tatarstan is some 3.64 billion rubles. Tatenergo also needs to perform capital repairs on its equipment and premises to the tune of 1.3 billion rubles.
Gazprom To Purchase Tatarstan-Produced Gas Pumps
The general-director of the Kazan Motor Constructing Association, Midkhat Khabibullin, told Tatarinform that "gas pumping installations produced by Tatarstan's joint venture with Samara are passing performance tests at Gazprom's Pomari gas pumping station." Gazprom is testing "GPA-16 Volga" installations produced by the Kuznetsov plant in Samara and the Turbo Compressors Institute in Kazan. Tests will show if the "GPA-16 Volga" meets the demands of Gazprom, which is planning on renewing its pumps at Urengoy-Pomari-Uzhgorod, Urengoy-Center, Urengoy-Center 2, Yamburg-Yelets 1, Yamburg Yelets 2, and the Yamburg-West Border gas pipelines, connecting the gas deposits in Russia with its central part and the CIS countries to the West. Khabibullin said that "GTA-16 Volga" installations have piqued the interest of the Gazprom directors with their reliability, high performance, small size, and low-energy needs. The estimated cost of installation is $2.5-$3 million each, while the reported prices on the world market average $3.5-$4 million.
Muslim Schools To Use The Unified Education Program
The Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan held a conference on approving and implementing a unified education program for religious schools and universities in Tatarstan on 29 September, the republican press reported. Currently, all Muslim schools (madrasah) in Tatarstan have independent programs. Religious leaders discussed the future transition to a single education program with representatives of the Religious Affairs Board of Tatarstan's Cabinet of Ministers and Ministry of Education. The conference has approved the transition in general, an RFE/RL correspondent in Kazan reported the same day.
Bashkortostan Sends Aid To Soldiers In Daghestan
The Republic of Bashkortostan reportedly sent 12 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Russian soldiers in Daghestan and patients at a military hospital in Rostov. The aid contains food, clothes, and medicine, Bashinform agency reported. Officers of Bashkortostan's Military Commissioner's Office and Commissioner Timofey Azarov are escorting the aid.
New Administration Head Appointed
Foat Komarov, 41, was named to head the Elmet regional administration in Tatarstan, the presidential press service reported on 29 September. Komarov will replace the former head, Ilshat Fardeev, who was recently appointed a director with Tatarstan's Tatenergo Company. Before his new appointment, Komarov was a deputy head in Elmet.
By Iskender Nurmi