Officially

Government

It is intended to tighten control over nine companies with state shares in capital. Techsnabexport JSC, Russian Railways, Sukhoi Aviation Holding Company, Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern, Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, Russian Electronics JSC, Roskhimzashchita Corporation will be subject to more serious control by the state ", "Rosgazification", "Channel One".

It instructed the Ministry of Finance to open accounts with the Central Bank for the Main Directorate of the Federal Treasury by January 30, which will account for the funds of the stabilization fund being formed this year. The Ministry of Finance is instructed to submit quarterly to the government, as part of reporting on the execution of the federal budget, reports on the receipt of funds in the stabilization fund, their placement and use, as well as proposals for clarifying the volume of balances of federal budget funds to be used in accordance with the federal law on the federal budget for the corresponding year .

Deputy Prime Minister Boris Aleshin said that the creation of a single national aircraft manufacturing company in Russia is possible within the next two years. According to Boris Aleshin, a single aircraft manufacturing company will include all leading design bureaus, in particular Ilyushin, Tupolev, MiG, Sukhoi. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that there is already an understanding “between the state and business about the need to create such an aircraft manufacturing company.”

Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Yakovlev said that funds for the development of mortgages can be found through budget surpluses and excess profits of oil companies. The Deputy Prime Minister also noted that the issue of participation of the Russian Pension Fund in the mortgage lending system has been under consideration for a long time, but “for now this is a conversational genre.”

Departments

According to the Ministry of Economic Development, GDP in December 2003 grew by 8.2% compared to 7.5% in November. In December 2002, GDP increased by 5.2%. GDP growth at the end of 2003, as previously reported by the head of the Ministry of Economic Development German Gref, amounted to 7%.

The Ministry of Finance is preparing amendments to Chapter 25 on income tax of the Tax Code (TC), mainly of a technical nature , said Alexander Ivaneev, head of the tax policy department of the Ministry of Finance. Yesterday these amendments were discussed at a meeting with First Deputy Minister of Finance Sergei Shatalov. It is expected that amendments to the chapter on income tax will be considered in conjunction with other tax issues at a government meeting on February 26.

According to the Ministry of Economic Development, Russia's foreign trade turnover in 2003 increased by 24% - to $209.2 billion. Exports in 2003 amounted to $134.4 billion (in 2002 - $107.3 billion), imports - $74.8 billion ($61 billion), positive balance - $59.6 billion ($46.3 billion). The foreign trade turnover of the Russian Federation in December 2003 increased by 18% compared to the same period last year and amounted to $20.6 billion. Exports last month amounted to $12.9 billion versus $11 billion a year ago, imports - $7.7 billion versus $6. 5 billion. The positive balance was $5.2 billion compared to $4.5 billion in December 2002.

State Duma

State Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov met yesterday with US Secretary of State Colin Powell. At the meeting, Boris Gryzlov informed Colin Powell about measures being taken in Russia to develop small and medium-sized businesses, liberalize the market economy, tax policy, protect intellectual property and combat human trafficking. Boris Gryzlov also said that ratification of the UN Convention against Transnational Crime is planned for the spring session. As the State Duma speaker noted, the Russian parliament and American congressmen maintain fairly close contacts, and the previously formed Duma-Congress group is working successfully.

Parties

The SPS+Yabloko faction will be created in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg. It is expected that the new faction will be formed according to the “4+4” principle from each party. Earlier, the political council of the St. Petersburg Union of Right Forces appealed to the regional branch of Yabloko with a request to consider the possibility of creating a single faction in the legislative assembly. Yesterday, following a meeting of the regional branch of the Yabloko party, it was decided to recommend that deputies of the legislative assembly and members of the Yabloko party join the united faction, as announced by the chairman of the regional branch of the party, Maxim Reznik.

Army

Russian-French military cooperation “is moving to a practical level,” said Army General Anatoly Kvashnin , receiving the Order of the Legion of Honor at the French Embassy. “The time for joint statements and slogans has passed; Russia and France are actually carrying out military-technical cooperation,” he said. “In February-March we will complete the development of our general training aircraft MiG AT,” said Anatoly Kvashnin. General Benteja, in turn, emphasized that “this year will be marked by many events in military cooperation.”

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov held a meeting at which issues of increasing combat readiness, including the Air Force and Navy aviation, were discussed . In July 2003, the Air Force received five Su-35 fighters, and in December another five Su-27 SM aircraft, the press service noted. As part of the state defense order for 2004, it is planned to complete the Tu-160 strategic bomber, overhaul about 150 front-line and military transport aircraft and more than 100 helicopters. First of all, military units of permanent readiness will be equipped with new aviation equipment.

The issue of building aircraft carriers in Russia may be considered in the next decade, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov. He takes part in the operational mobilization meeting of the Navy leadership. According to the admiral, currently about 20% of the Navy's budget is annually spent on the construction of new and modernization of existing ships. The lead ships of new projects have been laid down. With the successful implementation of the fleet development program, “by 2015 we will see new naval, aviation, surface and underwater components of the fleet,” noted Vladimir Kuroyedov.

Regions

The implementation of compensation payments for lost housing and property to citizens of Chechnya will be discussed today by the government commission on the restoration of the socio-economic sphere of the Chechen Republic under the leadership of the Minister for Chechen Affairs Stanislav Ilyasov. The issue of a set of measures for 2004 to restore the economic and social sphere of Chechnya will also be considered. The commission will also discuss possible changes for 2004-2005. in the federal target program “Restoration of the social sphere and economy of the Chechen Republic”.

Based on materials from news agencies and our own information