NEWS

The Tatarstan’s budget for 2010 has been adopted with a 12.4-billion-rouble deficit, which is 21.4 percent of own revenues. For this reason, only top-priority expenses in minimal amounts are planned for 2010. Current expenses are planned with respect to the optimisation held in 2009. The same approach was applied to local budgets.

The Tatarstan Finance Ministry, Tatarstan branch of the Federal Tax Service and Federal Treasury Department have today held a joint meeting in Kazan. The participants discussed the performance against Tatarstan’s consolidated budget in 2009 and the tasks for the local finance, treasury and tax bodies for 2010.

Russia’s Economic Development Ministry has reported of the results of selecting operators for the federal electronic trading solutions. The five operators include the Tatarstan Agency for Public Contracts, said the agency’s chief Yakov Geller at a meeting held by the Committee for Small and Medium Enterprise.

The results of the competition were approved by the government commission on administrative reform at a meeting on January 19, 2010 (the commission minutes No 95 from January 19, 2010). Proposals made by 18 of the contest participants were reviewed by the meeting. The selection organisers are to sign contracts with five of them on operating electronic trading platforms for conducting electronically public auctions.

The average payroll at JSC Tatneft will in 2010 be restored to the pre-crisis 2008 level. The company’s staff conference has today approved corresponding amendments to the contract for 2010.

The Tatneft general director Shafgat Takhautdinov said that the company’s high potential and adopted anti-crisis measures had allowed to perform the production, economic and social obligations. “But the crisis is far from over,” said the CEO. In these conditions, the company will have to allot 70 billion roubles, mostly borrowed, to complete the construction of an oil refining and petrochemical unit in Nizhnekamsk.

One of the anti-crisis measures is increasing energy and resource efficiency, said Takhautdinov. This is especially relevant with energy tariffs growing by the year. “If they keep rising at the same pace, the energy costs will climb up to over 20 percent of the product cost,” said Takhautdinov. According to him, Tatneft intends to propose to the government of Russia to incentivise manufacturers reducing energy consumption. The saved funds could be used for energy saving.

A concert dedicated to the 50th jubilee of Russia Honoured Artist, Tatarstan People’s Artist, laureate of Tukai State Award Salavat Fatkhutdinov was held at Kamal Tatar State academic Theatre on January 25.

Jan.25, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev met with fellows of the the special RT state fellowship, winners of the Republic of Tatarstan grants and awards competition organized to support young research scientists and their teams. The meeting took place at the ceremonial pavilion.

The Republic of Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev gave a press-conference for Russian and Tatarstan journalists at Kazan Kremlin on Saturday January 23. Mintimer Shaimiev made comments on his decision to reject the nomination for post of the republican head.

After State Council session on January 22 in Moscow, Russia President held a working meeting with Tatarstan President. Mintimer Shaimiev made a request not to consider his candidacy for the post of the republican leader after his presidential term expiry on Mar 25, 2010. Russia President will recommend RT Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov for the post of Tatarstan Headt in connection with Mintimer Shaimiev’s rejection of nomination.

The meeting of the RF State Council chaired by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on the development of the political system of the Russian Federation was held in Moscow on January 22. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev attended the meeting.

French collector Arno Gibot’s exhibition “Beijing – Amur – Paris” opened at Tatarstan Museum of Fine Arts on January 21. Year of France in Russia started in Kazan.

“We open Year of France in Russia a little earlier than other Russian cities and continue organization of events devoted to France before the official opening ceremonies schedule for April,” Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture Zilya Valeyeva said at the event.

“I’m happy that there were no digital photography 100 years ago and I found unique negatives of traveller Charles Vapereau. That’s how I came to Kazan. This exhibition has also been presented in several Russian cities and Beijing,” collector Arno Gibot said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sent his gratitude to JSC Tatneft general director Shafgat Takhautdinov for a great contribution to organising Russia’s presidency in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO, in 2008-2009 and for preparing the meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State and BRIC's - Brazil, Russia, India, China - inaugural summit in 2009 in Yekaterinburg. The assessment was stated in the President of the Russian Federation’s official letter of gratitude.

The SCO, founded in 2001 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgizia and Uzbekistan, has over the recent years considerably expanded cooperation between the member states. The BRIC association includes the most rapidly developing larger countries, that are home for over 20 percent of the planet’s population and whose economies account for 15 percent of the global economy and 40 percent of the world’s currency reserves.

The Turkish Republic Consul General Ahmet Tuta, who has taken office recently, visited the residence of Tatarstan Mufti Gusman khazrat Iskhakov on January 21.

It was the first time Consul General paid a visit to Mufti Gusman khazrat Iskhakov since he had been appointed to this position, that’s why it was an introductory meeting.