AEROFLOT CASE CONTINUES
Trud, November 16, 1999, p. 1
The Swiss prosecutor’s office does not mind the measures being taken by its Russian counterpart with regards to the criminal charges involving Aeroflot. All explanations have already been forwarded to it, including those pertaining to the status of Boris Berezovsky who is now no more a suspect but a mere witness in the case. This was explained to our correspondent by Nikolai Volkov, an investigator of the Prosecutor General’s Office, who commented on reports in the media that Switzerland had allegedly dropped charges against some persons involved in the Aeroflot scandal.
DEPUTIES MAKE PLANS
Izvestia, November 16, 1999, p. 2
At its plenary sitting on November 19, the Duma will hear the Cabinet’s report on implementation of the 1999 budget in the first nine months of the year. Finance Minister Mikhail Kasianov is supposed to make the report. On November 29, the Duma intends to adopt the draft budget for 2000 in its third reading, and in its final reading on December 3. On November 16, the deputies plan to adopt a law on the bar, on November 23, a Code of administrative violations (the second reading), and the on following day, they will discuss the draft law on presidential election in its second reading and the draft Labor Code in its first reading.
On December 5, deputies will leave for their constituencies and return for their last sitting on December 24 after the election.
BOLDYREV OBJECTS TO EXISTING PROCEDURE FOR ALLOWING FOREIGN COMPANIES INTO SIBERIA
Komsomolskaya Pravda, November 16, 1999, p. 2
Addressing a session of the Council for Defense and Foreign Policy, Yuri Boldyrev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Accounting Chamber, called barbarous the system of letting foreign companies into Siberia with its vast deposits of natural resources.
Boldyrev: We have to give priority in the mining sector to Russian companies if we do not want Siberia and the Far East to turn into a colossal gas and oil storehouse of the West.
RESULTS OF AN OPINION POLL…
Komsomolskaya Pravda, November 16, 1999, p. 3
… conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center show that the top five political parties that will probably get to the Duma include the Communists, Fatherland – All Russia, Yabloko, and Unity. When asked “What party would you have voted for had the elections taken place this Sunday?”, respondents replied as follows: the communists 19.7%, Fatherland – All Russia 11.4%, Yabloko 7.4%, and Unity 5.6%.
Position number five will have to be fought for. In September, the best chances were held by Our Home is Russia and Zhirinovsky’s bloc, but the standing of the Union of Right Forces is more solid now. According to the November poll, the Union of Right Forces is in number five. It would have polled 4%, Zhirinovsky’s Bloc would have polled 3.2%, and Our Home is Russia 0.9%.
ASSASSINS OF KINGPINS ARRESTED AND TRIED
Moskovsky Komsomolets, November 16, 1999, p. 1
The trial of assassins of the so called Uralmash gang (they murdered virtually all criminal gang leaders in the Sverdlovsk region) has began in the city of Ekaterinburg.
A source in the PR Department of the Main Anti-Organized Crime Directorate of the Interior Ministry says that investigations have proved beyond reasonable doubt that the men wiped out at least 25 (!) kingpins.
The story of the Uralmash gang began in 1993. It was established by two kingpins, Kurdyumov and Tereschenko, after they organized a skirmish and shot to death all “elder kingpins”. After that, Kurdyumov and Tereschenko became owners and masters of the majority of companies in the Sverdlovsk region.
Kurdyumov and Tereschenko tried to move to Moscow but local gangs feared a mob war and made it clear to the “visitors” that the climate in the capital was not conducive for them. As a result, they were both collared in Ekaterinburg.
DUMA ADVOCATES USE OF POLYGRAPH
Tribuna, November 16, 1999, p. 1
The Duma Committee for Security has worked out a draft law stipulating the use of a polygraph when state officials are let in for state secrets.
The authors of the draft hope it will help fight corruption.
Almost 60 countries are already using the contraption.
YELTSIN WILL GO TO ISTANBUL IN PERSON
Russian Television (RTR), “Vesti” program, November 15, 1999, 13:00
Today, President Boris Yeltsin made it clear exactly who is to attend the OSCE summit in Istanbul. He is.
Yeltsin intends to make the West understand that they cannot accuse Russia of exterminating cutthroats, criminals, and terrorists on its territory (i.e. Chechnya). According to Yeltsin, we should not stop halfway until the last terrorist has been exterminated.
Combating international terrorism in the Caucasus is Russia’s domestic affair. This position will be defended in Istanbul by the Russian delegation which will be headed by the President, according to Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
BORIS YELTSIN MAKES A NUMBER OF STATEMENTS
Russian Radio, “Vesti” program, November 15, 1999, 13:00
President Yeltsin has confirmed that the country’s next presidential election will take place as scheduled on June 4, 2000.
Yeltsin emphasized that he will go on promoting and supporting Premier Putin as a candidate for the presidency. The president denounced rumors that his relations with Putin have deteriorated and says that this is impossible. Yeltsin made all these statements during his meeting with Central Electoral Commission Chairman Alexander Veshnyakov.
According to Veshnyakov, the president intends to introduce two serious amendments to the new law on presidential election. Yeltsin believes that candidates should present more detailed information on their income and assets.
The other amendments envisages a reduction of each candidate’s electoral expenses from 42 million to 26 million.
PUTIN LEAVES FOR DUSHANBE
ORT (Russian Public Television), News program, November 15, 1999, 15:00
Premier Putin is leaving for a two-day visit to Dushanbe. According to his PR Department, the premier is going to attend the inauguration ceremony of Tajik President elect Emomali Rakhmonov.
Putin intends to conduct negotiations with the Tajik leadership and, perhaps, with leaders of some other foreign countries who will attend the inauguration ceremony. Most likely, Putin will once again have to prove to foreign representatives the expediency of the Russian government’s methods of handling the problem of Chechnya.
