18 January 1999
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Volga Region Republics And Oblasts Exchange Self-Government Experiences
Representatives from the Volga region and other republics and oblasts met in the Chuvash Republic on 15 and 16 January to discuss legislative and executive cooperation as a basis for strengthening Russian statehood, Tatar television reported. A round-table held in the Chuvash capital Cheboksary was attended by the heads of state bodies, committees on legislation, and local self-government. It was devoted to the development of local self-government bodies, their participation in the law-making process, and relations with state authority bodies. Tatarstan was represented by State Council Deputy Chairwoman Zilya Valeeva and State Council Commission Chairman Valentin Paimukhin. The participants met with Chuvash President Nikolai Fyodorov and visited districts and towns in Chuvashiya to observe socio-economic development.
CIS Tax Service Chiefs Meet In Ufa
The heads of tax services of the CIS countries, meeting in Ufa, Bashkortostan on 16 January, compared and contrasted recent changes to their respective tax laws, Tatar radio reported. The meeting, a session of the Council of Tax Services, was attended by tax service representatives from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Dairy Product Prices Rise By 15-40 Percent In Tatarstan
Tatarstan's Cabinet of Ministers raised milk and other dairy product prices by 15 to 40 percent on 16 January, state media reported. The price of butter went up more than 10 percent. Cabinet officials said the rise in the cost of dairy products was caused mainly by the continued illegal export of food from Tatarstan. The price of food staples in neighboring regions are two to three times higher than those in Tatarstan. Another reason for the price hike is a large debt to milk suppliers. The republic's dairy farms are also largely unprofitable because of lower-than market value prices.
Tatarstan President Calls For Intensified Struggle Against Economic Crimes
Mintimer Shaimiev, the president of Tatarstan, said in a 15 January meeting with the republic's law-enforcement and tax bodies heads that it must intensify its struggle against economic crimes and accelerate the development of legislation that will aid in the fight against crime and corruption. Financial and economic activity at Tatarstan's largest enterprises, such as the KamAZ truck concern, the Nizhnekamskneftekhim oil processing plant, and the Nizhnekamskshina tire plant were also discussed at the meeting. It was agreed that the creation of commissions consisting of representatives from law enforcement, auditing and tax bodies would monitor financial activity at such enterprises in an attempt to both prevent and uncover corruption and theft, state media reported.
Golos Tatarstana Begins Shortwave Broadcasts
The new broadcasting station Golos Tatarstana (Voice of Tatarstan) has begun broadcasting on shortwave radio in Russian. The project is sponsored by the state television and radio company and the Executive Committee of the Tatar World Congress. Golos Tatarstana will broadcast an hour every day on the territory of the CIS countries and other Russian regions in which Tatars live, Tatar television reported. Golos Tatarstana is Tatarstan's second radio station broadcasting via shortwave, and the first in the Russian language. Another station began shortwave broadcasts in Tatar in August 1997.
Compiled by G. Khasanova