NEWS

Day of Europe events are held in Tatarstan capital for the whole week, that’s why the festival has extended a time line of one day. However, by tradition, organizers – the European Union Delegation to Russia, EU embassies and cultural centres with assistance of Tatarstan Ministry of Education and Science and Tatarstan President’s Department for International relations – decided to keep a name Day of Europe (not Days of Europe).

The construction of the first start-up unit at the Taneco oil refinery and petrochemical plants site is as of now completed 70 percent, JSC Taneco general director Khamza Bagmanov told a news conference at the construction headquarters. According to Bagmanov, the refinery plants’s construction in Nizhnekamsk has so far been financed for 135 billion roubles. In 2010, 50 billion roubles is planned to be disbursed. The first start-up unit is scheduled for launch on October 10, 2010.

The competition called "Generation 20 Years After the Berlin Wall's Fall" for Russian online journalists and bloggers has today been announced at the Day of Europe festival that opened in Kazan. The EU delegation to Russia head of the department of press and information Denis Daniilidis called for joining the project and talking about the role of Russia in Europe and its relations with the European Union.

According to Daniilidis, the competition is held within celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Entries are admitted until June 10, 2010. The winners will be granted unforgettable trips to European cities, Berlin, Brussels and others.

The Tatarstan Industry and Trade Ministry on March 26 held a meeting, dealing with the Republic of Tatarstan’s representations’ economic operations in 2009 and areas for partnership in 2010. The acting industry and trade minister Ravil Zaripov delivered a keynote report on the Tatarstan representations’ economic activities in 2009 and areas for cooperation in 2010. Tatarstan’s foreign trade in 2009 totalled $13.5 billion, the lead held by Italy, Turkey, Poland, the Netherlands, Belarus and Germany. Based on preliminary estimates, an 8-percent growth in external trade is predicted for 2010.

On March, 26 the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov accepted the resignation of the RT Cabinet of Ministers and charged the republican government with power to continue its activity until the new government is appointed. Respective ordinance was signed by RT President.

Tatarstan State council Chairman Farid Mukhametshin meets Head of the European Union Delegation to the Russian Federation Fernando Valenzuela today at the republican parliament. Head of the European Delegation arrived in Tatarstan capital as part of the Days of Europe in Kazan.

On the first working day as President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov met with the Islamic Development Bank group president Dr Ahmed Muhammad Ali. The two executives signed an agreement setting up a Tatarstan International Investment Company. Rustam Minnikhanov noted at the meeting that Tatarstan and the Islamic Bank had had a long history of relations. The republic is interested in expanding its contacts in the Islamic world. Tatarstan is intensively renovating its economy and attracting international investors.

This year, 38 veterinary laboratories in Tatarstan will be equipped with state-of-the-art devices by leading foreign manufacturers, totally worth 6.5 million roubles. The equipment allows high-precision diagnostics in animals, evaluating the quality of meat and milk and examining fodders on 35 parameters. Earlier, the available veterinary equipment allowed identify fodder formulas on only 7 factors, which was effectively primitive, considering that veterinarians abroad examine fodders for over 100 items. Veterinarians in Tatarstan will now be given opportunity to enhance their work.

First Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev met with Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, the President of the Islamic Development Bank, at the Representative Building of the Kazan Kremlin on March 26.

At the end of the swearing-in ceremony, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov bestowed the First President of the republic with the Order for Services for the Republic of Tatarstan”. A corresponding edict was singed on March 25.