NEWS

The new draft treaty on Delimitation of Jurisdictional Subjects and Mutual Delegation of Powers between the Republic of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation is prepared, RT President Mintimer Shaimiev said at the meeting with the delegation of foreign journalists. The meeting took place in the Kazan Kremlin on February 27. The previous treaty is still valid, but it needs to be reconsidered due to contradiction with the Tatarstan Constitution. The Federal law has been changed, so should be the Treaty.

RT President Mintimer Shaimiev visited Vysokogorsky district on February 28. OOO “GranTash”, the stone-processing factory, was the first place visited by the head of the republic.
The construction of the factory was caused by the oncoming city millenium, construction of the subway in the capital of the republic and the continually increasing demand for high quality natural stone finish.

The 21st session of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan proceeded on February 26.
Seven draft laws were approved in the first reading. The deputies considered 27 draft federal laws. One of them was turned down. Head of the Parliament Farid Mukhametshin summed up the results of the activity of the 2nd convocation State Council. President Shaimiev expressed gratitude to the Parliament for the work fulfilled.

Results achieved in the agricultural complex of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2003, its further development and strategy were discussed at the seminar held in Bogaty Saby (Tatarstan) on February 24. The seminar was attended by RT President Mintimer Shaimiev, RT Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov, heads of republican ministries, cities and districts, agricultural companies.
President underlined that today Tatarstan keeps the lowest prices for bread. Prices for dairy products will rise gradually, but bread and some dairy products will be available to all people of the republic.

The second day of Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev’s visit to the Kama zone started with opening of a new school building in the Kalmiya village (Tukayevsky district, Tatarstan). Attention to the rural district providing to one of the biggest towns of the republic is understandable. In opinion of Tatarstan’s head, it is capable to achieve efficiency of producing competitive products.

Today, Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev answered questions of journalists of “Radio Liberty” and “Bloomberg”. Vladimir Todres, the director of Moscow bureau, represented the largest financial information agency “Bloomberg”, “Radio Liberty” – political observer Mikhail Sokolov, and also director of Kazan bureau “Radio Azatlyk” Rimzil Valeev.

On February 10, Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev took part in the work of the Commission under the President of the Russian Federation on issues of federative relations and local self-government, chaired by Dmitry Kozak.
Heads of working groups reported on analysis of a number of federal bills with the object of their conformity to the conception of reform of federal relations and local self-government, on optimisation of structure and functions of regional subdivisions of state federal bodies, on improving budget and tax legislation.

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev visited the “Idea” Innovation Technopark, the central unit of which is business-incubator. The centre is aimed at ensuring early stage development of new undertakings, teaching staff, creating favourable, “incubatory” conditions and providing resources for rapid growth of innovation projects and commercialising technologies.
The presentation of the business-incubator was attended by RT Prime minister Rustam Minnikhanov, Kazan Mayor Kamil Iskhakov, heads of ministries and organisations, directors of large enterprises, rectors of leading high schools of the republic.

"We shall be glad to give you the best we have", - in such a way President of "Tecnimont" Rosario Allessandrello defined the readiness of Italian side for extending bilateral cooperation at the meeting with President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev at the Kazan Kremlin on 3 February.
The relations of Tatarstan and “Tecnimont” in petrochemistry have been developing in a very positive key. In November last year, within the course of the visit of the official delegation of the Russian Federation to Italy (President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev was a member of the delegation headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin), JSC "Nizhnekamskneftekhim" and "Tecnimont" signed a contract, according to which the latter had undertaken obligations on designing a plant for polypropylene production and delivery of the equipment for the new manufacture.

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev held a number of meetings in Moscow on 4th February.
RT President Mintimer Shaimiev and CEO of JSC “Gazprom” Alexei Miller summed up the results of the cooperation in 2003. In the RF Ministry of Natural Resources Mintimer Shaimiev met with Minister Vitaly Artyukhov. The meeting resulted in signing the protocol designating main items of cooperation of the republic and the RF MNR in 2004. At the meeting with Alexander Gordeev it was marked that Tatarstan is one of the stable regions providing itself with food and fodder grain.