NEWLY-ELECTED ADMIRAL RESIGNS FROM THE NAVY
Trud-7, November 23, 2000, p. 2
Baltic Fleet Commander Admiral Vladimir Yegorov has submitted his resignation to Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov.
Yegorov, governor-elect of Kaliningrad, says he intends to pay special attention to social services, specifically health care and education. Combating drug-trafficking will be another priority.
STATE-SECTOR EMPLOYEES IN CHECHNYA GET THEIR WAGES
Parlamentskaya Gazeta, November 23, 2000, p. 1
Reports from the Chechnya Finance Ministry say that the federal government has transferred over 50 million rubles to pay the wages of state-sector employees. Teachers in Chechnya are owed 16.5 million rubles; of this, 7.3 million rubles has already been paid.
The Health Care Ministry has received 8 million rubles for salaries. Pension backlogs for 2000 are supposed to be paid by the end of the year.
DUMA DEBATES POWER SHORTAGES IN PRIMORYE
Rossiiskaya Gazeta, November 23, 2000, p. 1
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko, Anatoly Chubais of Russian Joint Energy Systems, and Governor Yevgeny Nazdratenko of Primorye (Maritime territory) addressed the Duma.
Most deputies blame Nazdratenko for the energy crisis in that territory.
RESTORATION PROGRAM FOR CHECHNYA
Izvestia, November 23, 2000, p. 1
The federal program for post-war restoration of the economy and social services in Chechnya during 2001 and 2002 is ready. It has been prepared by the staff of Viktor Kazantsev, presidential envoy for the Southern federal district. The document will be forwarded to the Duma in time for the third reading of the 2001 draft budget.
Kazantsev’s aide for economic matters, Viktor Krokhmal, says that investing the 40 billion rubles specified by the program in post-war restoration will be cheaper than continuing the war. Only 4-5 billion rubles of this sum is supposed to come from the federal budget.
Krokhmal: “National security does not depend on the military. It depends on whether people are fed, and warm, and have jobs.”
RUSSIAN VIDEO COMPANY: THE SEQUEL
Izvestia, November 23, 2000, p. 2
The Savelovsky municipal court has started hearings on a defamation suit brought by Media-Most owner Vladimir Gusinsky against Assistant General Prosecutor Vasily Kolmogorov and the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda”.
Gusinsky sued after the newspaper published an article in which the author quoted from Kolmogorov’s response to an enquiry from the Duma, concerning the investigation into the Russian Video company.
Kolmogorov was quoted as saying: “We have objective evidence, testimony, and exports’ conclusions proving Gusinsky’s criminal activities aimed at taking over an asset owned by the state…”
Kolmogorov’s lawyer Harry Mirzoyan denies that his client called Gusinsky a criminal.
UNITY MEMBERS WANT TO APPEAL TO PUTIN OVER EVENTS IN KURSK REGION
Izvestia, November 23, 2000, p. 3
Duma deputies Leonid Belyaev and Alexander Fedulov of the Unity faction propose to appeal to the president to condemn anti-Semitic aspects in recent events in the Kursk region.
Vladimir Zhirinovsky is the only senior member of the Duma to back the initiative. He agrees with the assumption of Belyaev and Fedulov that it’s the Communists who “constantly inspire anti-Semitic actions”.
Zhirinovsky went even further, suggesting once again that the Communist Party should be banned.
