NEWS

Tatarstan Prime Minister Roustam Minnikhanov has called the construction of an oil refining plant in Nizhnekamsk, part of the Taneko project implemented by Tatneft, the 2010’s crucial project. He said it in a statement at a traditional meeting with journalists before the New Year. According to him, the plant, capable of producing 7 million tonnes of oil annually, should be completed in October next year, the project has in general been financed for 120 billion roubles; 6.5 thousand people are employed at the construction.

A campaign called Kazan Russia’s Third Capital will on December 25 take place in the Coltso entertainment centre in Kazan. The event is sponsored by the Assembly of Tourist Volunteers.

A quiz aimed to test the knowledge of the city’s history, Kazan’s most remarkable sights and methods of attracting tourists to Tatarstan will be held within the event. Besides, an opinion poll, to identify the Kazan residents’ awareness of and attitude to increased tourist traffic in the city will be conducted.

Tatarstan’s gross milk output has reached 3,024 tonnes, or 115 percent of the last year’s result, told Tatar-inform the Tatarstan Agriculture and Food Ministry.

An average of 11.7 kilograms of milk has been produced over the past 24 hours by each cow in Tatarstan, whereas last year the figure was 10.2 kilograms.

The deputies of the RT State Council gathered to take part in the last session of 2009 which was a continuation of the seventh session of the RT State Council of the 4th convocation. There were over 40 issues on the agenda, 15 of which were republican draft laws. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev attended the meeting.

The Tatarstan’s Industry Minister Ravil Zaripov has today met with Republic of Turkey Consul General in Kazan Ahmet Tuta. The parties discussed the state of economic relations between Tatarstan and Turkey and outlined areas to expand cooperation in.

While greeting the guest, Ravil Zaripov noted that the governments of Tatarstan and Turkey had once made the right and visionary decision to open the Consulate General of Turkey in Kazan. “This has certainly contributed to Turkey ranking first among Tatarstan’s trading partners in terms of bilateral trade,” he said. The minister went on to express expectation that the arrival of the new Consul General would let expand the mutually effective cooperation.

The United Russia political party’s top officials have introduced to President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev candidates for the office of the heads of Tatarstan and Saratov region.

Attendees at the meeting were the Russian State Duma speaker, members of United Russia’s Supreme Council Boris Gryzlov, Secretary of the General Council Presidium Vyacheslav Volodin and Andrey Vorobiev. Boris Gryzlov presented three candidates for the posts of each of the region’s chief executiveы; all of them are members of United Russia, he remarked. The party’s top officials proposed as candidates the incumbent Prime Minister of Tatarstan Roustam Minnikhanov, Tatarstan State Council Chairman Farid Mukhametshin and President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev.

The investments in the Taneko oil refining and petrochemical facility construction will, considering the doubling of its oil refining designed annual capacity from 7 million tonnes a year to 14 million tonnes, over the year grow from the originally planned 220 billion roubles to 280 billion roubles, JSC Tatneft general director Shafgat Takhautdinov has said.

The joint meeting of the Russian State Council and the Council under the RF President for developing of information society chaired by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev was held in Moscow on December 23. Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev attended the event.

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev congratulated artist Kharis Yakupov on his anniversary.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev congratulated Kharis Yakupov, the people’s artist of the USSR, participant of the great Patriotic War, on his 90th anniversary.