THIRTY CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST MOSCOW OFFICIALS
Moskovsky Komsomolets, August 8, 2000, p. 2
The Moscow Mayor’s Office was no in the least exited about the information in the press about thirty criminal cases instituted against Moscow officials.
According to Sergei Tsoi, press secretary of the Moscow Mayor, “I would not like the idea that this information has politics for an object and is supposed to defame the Moscow authorities.” The Moscow authorities rather often start inspecting different organizations of the Russian capital in order to disclose any facts on infringement on the law or corruption. That’s why neither Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, nor any of his milieu will be interfering with the investigation. Sergei Tsoi stressed: “if the law enforcement bodies have any evidence of the guilt of the suspected officials, the cases should be brought to the court”. The Interior Ministry informed the Moscow Mayor about the thirty criminal persecutions, which have been instituted against Moscow officials. The Mayor promised to give a detailed response to the Ministry’s request within thirty days.
Besides, Tsoi denied at the press conference accusations of some media of the nationalism of the Moscow Mayor. To prove his words, he quoted Luzhkov’s interview with the NTV television network: “Not all Chechens are terrorists. I say: one should make difference between rascals and normal people. It is not easy, but in no case we should follow the slogan of one of the Russian politicians: ‘A good Chechen is a dead Chechen’. It is absolutely inadmissible”. According to Tsoi, the Moscow administration pays great attentions to such a delicate issue as relations between representatives of different nationalities, which are closely connected with the Chechen diaspora. Moreover, there are Chechens in the Moscow administration as well.
NTV NETWORK FACES PROBLEMS
Izvestia, August 8, 2000, p. 1
In late July the general director of the NTV television network and newsreader of the information-analytical program “Itogi” announced to TV spectators that he goes on his vacation hoping that everything will be smooth in the Russian political life. He also said that in case of any emergency situation he will break his vacation.
According to our sources, yesterday Yevgeny Kiselev did break his vacation and held a meeting with the staff of the TV network.
The mood of the company staff is far from being optimistic – the rumor about possible changes in the ownership of the company and personnel changes in the top-management add to this. However, no one is panicking.
It has become clear that Kiselev came back to work not to host his Sunday “Itogi” program, since the program itself is still on holiday. It is more likely that the management of the company is facing some professional problems.
Lately, the informational leadership of the network has been seriously doubted. Another problem is staff-drain: people are leaving for other networks and TV channels.
HOW MANY GUERRILLAS ARE IN CHECHNYA?
Izvestia, August 8, 2000, p. 3
It has been about a year since the beginning of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. According to Colonel General Valery Manilov, first deputy head of the Joint Staff, currently no more than 2,000 Chechen guerrillas are still resisting the Federal Forces. The general believes that the core of the enemies is built by 500-600 mercenaries; the rest are local residents, who are already tired of the war. That is the explanation why some Chechen guerrillas give themselves up.
Terrorists are mostly located in the Vedeno and Nozhai-Yurt districts, in southern parts of the Kurchaloi and Urus-Martan districts, and at the entrance to the Argun gorge. A number of guerrillas belonging to the detachment of Vakhi Arsanov are located in the center of the Argun Gorge. According to Valery Manilov, these guerrillas are shooting the Russian frontier guards in the Argun gorge.
Nobody seems to be embarrassed with the fact that – if believe the map – guerrillas are located on a half of Chechnya; moreover, according to reconnaissance, no less than 800 guerrillas are concentrated on the flat lands of Chechnya. There is also data that guerrillas are concentrated on the Chechen-Dagestan administrative border-line, while at the Chechen part of the Russian-Georgian border-line Russian frontier-guards have to every day stop guerrillas from breaking to Georgia. And from Georgia too.
