BEREZOVSKY IS READY TO BECOME A DEPUTY
Komsomolskaya Pravda, July 14, 1999, p.3
Almost simultaneously, Anatoly Sobchak and Boris Berezovsky have announced to the public their plans to participate in the race for seats in the Duma in single-mandate constituencies.
Berezovsky’s sudden political ambitions are provoking questions. The main question is: why has Berezovsky become so concerned about the Duma? The only answer that comes to mind is that parliamentary immunity is attractive for Berezovsky. If so, it turns out that he does not believe that a protege of the Kremlin can win the presidential elections. He may think that Primakov’s chances of winning are better.
However, it seems that Berezovsky’s reputation makes it impossible for him to run in any large cultural center where the electorate has a high level of education. Two conditions besides money are necessary for Berezovsky to win the elections: first of all, the support of a local governor, and secondly a remote spot in the taiga on that governor’s territory where nobody has heard anything about Berezovsky. The necessary conditions can be found in the Krasnoyarsk region: the governor supports him, and many taiga spots are available. Therefore it would not be strange if Berezovsky makes it into the Duma from Evenkia, following Buryat Kobzon.
OVER 610,000 RUSSIANS LIVING ABROAD TO VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS
Izvestia, July 14, 1999, p.1
Over 610,000 voters living outside of Russia or currently on long-term trips will participate in the upcoming Duma elections. Some 380,500 Russian citizens who were abroad at that time had the right to vote in the ’95 elections, stated Chair of the Central Election Committee Alexander Veshnyakov. The growth of the electorate abroad, which is connected with changes in Russian legislation, has provoked the necessity of increasing the number of constituencies for them to 23. Election bulletins will henceforth be received by five regions which have good communication services with other countries. This is supposed to be done by the Leningrad region, with which almost 100,000 voters in Estonia will be affiliated, as well as the Tula region, whence election bulletins will be delivered to Germany. But if a new law on constituencies does not go into effect by September 9, the Central Election Committee may have to reject the innovations.
STANISLAV DEREV’S SUPPORTERS HOPE FOR THE SUPREME COURT OF RUSSIA
Izvestia, July 14, 1999, p.1
Consideration by the Russian Supreme Court of the notorious case of the validity of the elections for leader of Karachaevo-Cherkessia is scheduled for July 23. Supporters of Stanislav Derev, Mayor of Cherkessk, who lost the elections (which took place on May 16) to General Vladimir Semenov by a large margin, initiated the appeal to the Russian Supreme Court. Derev’s supporters, who assume that the results can be explained by mass violations during the election, attempted to dispute the results of the second round of voting, but the Supreme Court of Karachaevo-Cherkessia declared them valid. Meanwhile, Chair of the People’s Assembly of Karachaevo-Cherkessia Igor Ivanov is still fulfilling the duties of the republican leader.
EVENKIAN AUTHORITIES DO NOT WANT TO BE SUBORDINATE TO LEBED
Izvestia, July 14, 1999, p.2
On July 13, there was no quorum at the extraordinary meeting of the Suglan (legislative assembly) in Tura, the district center of Evenkia, and the very same day a delegation of regional authorities had to leave Tura. At the meeting it was planned to discuss the transfer of control over the district to Krasnoyarsk Governor Alexander Lebed. But the authorities of the two Federation subjects were restricted to conducting a meaningless meeting about the state of the district. Evenkian civil servants, when conversing with the “Izvestia” reporter, cunningly smiled and said that they did not understand why the Krasnoyarsk authorities had come.
SUCCESSORS TO KNOW THE RESULTS OF THE REFORMATION OF AVTOVAZ
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, July 14, 1999, p.1
In the near future, AvtoVAZ Inc. will be transformed into a managing company. All currently existing departments are being dismissed, and the directorships formed on their basis are being united in a managing center.
The approved program will turn AvtoVAZ into a holding company of the Western type and, in accordance with the ideas of its authors, considerably increase output capacities. Incidentally, the corresponding order of General Director Alexei Nikolaev, who has been initiating changes for a long time, has already been signed, and the plan for the stages of the reform has been chosen. As a result, units of the production complex are supposed to be transformed into subsidiary enterprises, while the head company will concentrate on managing the authorized capital and large investment projects.
Efforts to eliminate speculative intermediaries between the plant and clients are also being made. We shall know the effectiveness of the program ten years from now, since that its scheduled duration.
THE POPE TO VISIT GEORGIA
Trud, July 14, 1999, p.1
During the course of his reception in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II announced to Chair of the Georgian parliament Zurab Zhvania that he intends to pay a visit to Georgia. The Pope’s visit is planned for the end of 1999.
NUMBER OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN KOSOVO INCREASED
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, July 14, 1999, p.1
The sixteenth Il-76 military-transport aircraft of the Russian Air Force landed on July 13 at the Slatina airfield. It delivered 30 people, equipment, and other military property.
The air corridor for the Russian aircraft was provided by Ukraine and Hungary.
A FASCIST SHEDS HIS BLOOD IN THE MAIN RUSSIAN SYNAGOGUE
Komsomolskaya Pravda, July 14, 1999, p.2
On July 13, at attempt to stab Deputy Director of the Jewish Children’s Arts Center Leopold Kaymanovsky was committed in Moscow.
The incident took place at 12:30 a.m. A young man of some 18 years entered the building of the old Moscow synagogue, where the Congress of Jewish Communities is located. The guard let him pass through since there are no metal detectors in the synagogue.
A young woman (a secretary) and the heavy-set aged deputy director were in the office of the Children’s Arts Center (here young Jews learn to sing, draw, and dance).
The visitor pulled out a knife and stabbed Kaymanovsky first in his hand and then in the stomach. The woman screamed and rushed to the neighboring room. Fortunately she managed to lock it. The man tried to resist and even seized the knife from the young man, and they started to struggle. Then Kaymanovsky started to call for help and the young man rushed away…
The guard caught the criminal in the yard. The young man was seated on the steps by the entrance and the police were called. His shirt was torn, and swastika and a circle were drawn on his left breast.
In his pockets were found three more knives and a student identity card of a certain Moscow technical institution of higher education.
Leopold Kaymanovsky was taken to 36th hospital in a rather serious condition. He lost a lot of blood. Currently his wife and son are taking shifts near his bed. Doctors give no comments on the situation.
BORIS YELTSIN KEEPS UP WITH THE AFFAIRS OF STATE
ORT, Novosti, July 13, 1999, 15:00
President Boris Yeltsin, who is currently on vacation at his residence Rus, had a long phone conversation with Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin today. the details of the talk are unknown, but according to Secretary of the Presidential Administration Voloshin, the president and the premier discussed the tasks of the Cabinet and the most important international issues. Voloshin also announced that the president will probably meet with Secretary of the Board of Gazprom Victor Chernomyrdin in the near future.
KIRIENKO ON THE POSSIBLE UNION OF PRIMAKOV AND LUZHKOV
ORT, Novosti, July 13, 1999, 12:00
Leader of New Force Sergei Kirienko has appraised the prospects of a political coalition between the Mayor of Moscow and former Premier Yevgeny Primakov.
Sergei Kirienko: As for the union between Primakov and Luzhkov, I think it is a good decision. I have always had good relations with Primakov, and it will be interesting to see what he will say about the idea of Yuri Luzhkov. I think that the future of Russian politics depends on his decision.
STEPASHIN TRIES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF RUSSIAN SPACE CARRIERS
ORT, Novosti, July 13, 1999, 15:00
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev and Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin recently discussed the problem of launches of Russian rockets from Baikonur on the telephone. According to the press service of the government, Sergei Stepashin stated that Russia is trying to solve the problem of the rent for Baikonur in August. Russia will also refrain from launching Protons until all circumstances of the recent crash are cleared up. Nazarbaev stated that the government of Kazakhstan will grant permission for launches of Protons only if all the commitments are fulfilled. But it is not clear yet when the launch of the next Proton will take place.