A NEW TERM FOR THE JUDGE

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A NEW TERM FOR THE JUDGE

Izvestia, November 3, 2000, p. 3

Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted to the Duma amendments to the law on the Constitutional Court according to which the term in office for judges in the Constitutional Court may be extended from 12 to 15 years. The age limit of 70 years will be cancelled. The extension of the term in office for judges of the Constitutional Court and the cancellation of the age limit are considered an attempt of the presidential structures to preserve Marat Baglai and Tamara Morshakova, chief justices of the Constitutional Court – who are loyal to the government and the president – in their jobs. Next year Marat Baglai will be 70, and if the law is not altered he will have to retire.

EDMOND POPE IS BETTER

Izvestia, November 3, 2000, p. 2

The hearing of Edmond Pope’s case in the Moscow city court continued on November 2. Prison doctors have decided that Pope’s health has improved and he is able to face the court. Three days ago the process was suspended because of Pope’s illness.

INFANTS TO PAY TAXES

Moskovsky Komsomolets, November 3, 2000, p. 2

On November 2 the government discussed the conception of amendments to the first part of the Tax code the essence of which is as follows: the tax payer must be a milk cow without rights.

Sergei Shatalov is the architect of these changes. He proposes to solve all problems of the state at the expense of tax payers. According to this project oil companies must sell fuel on the domestic market at world prices and pay the appropriate taxes. In addition the Finance Ministry has prepared a sensational proposal: absolutely all people “living in Russia” must pay taxes. This surely means that infants will have to go to tax offices from maternity wards, in order to pay taxes.

IT’S EASIER TO CATCH THIEVES TOGETHER

Tribuna, November 3, 2000, p. 1

A meeting of the auditing bodies of the CIS has been held in Moscow. For two days the participants have been discussing at the State Auditing Commission of the Russian Federation how to prevent embezzlement of the state property.

Sergei Stepashin said that the activities of the Commission has born fruit already. During the past few years more than 24 billion rubles has been returned to the state, 65 criminal cases concerning embezzlement have been instigated.

LAST WORDS

Rossiyskaya Gazeta, November 3, 2000, p. 3

A passage from Captain Commander Dmitry Kolesnikov’s final message, which recently had been withheld, has been displayed in the hall of the Admiralty near his coffin.

The text of the message is as follows: “15:45. It’s too dark here but I’ll try to write by touch. I think we have no chance. Perhaps about 10-20%. We hope that someone will read this. Here is the list of those who have moved to the ninth compartment. Some will try to get out. Greetings to everyone, no despair.”

KHATTAB WILL NOT SEE HIS WEAPONS

Trud, November 3, 2000, p. 2

A few days ago the FSB Department of the Republic of Dagestan received a report that a truck with weapons for Chechen guerrillas was moving to Chechnya. Road patrols have detained a Kamaz truck with weapons for Khattab and Basaev’s gangs. The arsenal consisted of four Strela-2 light anti-aircraft systems. This spring Chechen guerrillas destroyed two Russian fighters using such weapons.

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