OFFICIALLY

President

Signed a decree on the appointment of police colonel A.Yu. Zabegalova as the head of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Ivanovo Region, police colonel A.D. Ryazantsev Head of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Lipetsk Region. The press service of the head of state reported this today.

Government

It will fulfill its financial obligations to Russian citizens, despite changes in the ruble exchange rate against the dollar, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. “Over the past three years, we have created mechanisms that insure the federal budget against changes in the ruble-dollar exchange rate,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Departments

Decisions on government measures to curb the rise in bread prices will be made next week, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Alexei Gordeev. According to him, experts are currently analyzing the situation on the grain market and developing proposals that can stabilize the situation. We can talk about limiting grain exports and selling grain purchased for the state intervention fund. Proposals can also be developed to curb the growth of trade markups, the share of which in the price of bread reaches 50% in a number of regions. These measures became necessary due to a sharp increase in grain exports, which led to a decrease in grain stocks and an increase in prices. According to the forecast of the Ministry of Agriculture, the gross grain harvest this year will be about 70 million tons compared to 86.5 million tons in 2002. The country's grain needs are estimated at 77-78 million tons per year, taking into account carryover stocks, which should not exceed 2.8 million tons by the end of the month.

The Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology announced an open competition “Living Systems Technologies” for the right to conclude government contracts to carry out work commissioned by the ministry in 2003. 6 million rubles will be allocated for the implementation of the winning projects of the competition. Applications for participation in the competition are accepted until June 16, 2003 inclusive; the opening of envelopes with participants' competitive applications will take place on July 18.

The head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Sergei Shoigu, will pay a working visit to the Voronezh region on June 5-6. During the visit, the minister intends to inspect the activities of the territorial management bodies of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on issues of protecting the population and territories, as well as ensuring fire safety in the region. Sergei Shoigu will also visit several fire brigades and units and a fire-technical school, check the organization of joint duty of rescuers and firefighters in the Liskinsky district, as well as the work of rural unified duty and dispatch services based on telephone “01”.

According to preliminary estimates from the Ministry of Economic Development, inflation in Russia in May will be 0.8-0.9 percent, said First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Ivan Materov. Meanwhile, the Bank of Russia estimates the level of core inflation in May to be within 0.5-0.6 percent, as stated by First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia Oleg Vyugin. He noted that the main effect of reducing the monthly inflation rate is explained by the regulation of tariffs for housing and communal services and natural monopolies, as well as the transfer from May to June of the effect of rising prices for early fruits and vegetables.

From June 15, 2001 to March 31, 2003, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) issued about 500 licenses for prospecting and evaluation of oil and gas fields, as well as 5,675 licenses for the right to use subsoil. In particular, 118 licenses were issued on the territory of the Komi Republic (of which 29 are for oil and gas production), 265 licenses were issued in the Magadan region (of which 153 were for the production of precious metals), 158 were issued in the Amur region (of which 36 for the extraction of precious metals), 419 in the Moscow region (of which 370 are for the extraction of groundwater).

State Duma

Recommended that the government reassess the value of federal property located abroad before July 1, 2005. This resolution was adopted by the State Duma after considering the report of the Accounts Chamber based on the results of an audit of the maintenance of the register, the effectiveness and expediency of the use and disposal of federal property abroad. The deputies recommend that the government speed up the formation of a register of federal property abroad and improve its management. The Accounts Chamber is invited to conduct a comprehensive audit of the effectiveness of the Central Bank's management of state stakes in joint-stock companies located abroad. The federal property of Russia abroad includes land plots in 120 countries with an area of ​​6 million 263 thousand square meters. m, buildings and premises with a total area of ​​more than 2 million square meters. m. The Ministry of Property estimates the total book value of this property at $2.7 billion.

Army

Two reinforced battalions of the 104th Regiment of the 76th Pskov Airborne Division, fully staffed with contract soldiers, leave for Chechnya on June 11 and 15. They must serve there for six months. Yesterday, the division conducted live firing of the company, which was attended by members of the Federation Council. Chairman of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov, who himself served in the airborne troops, called these shootings “excellent” and presented valuable gifts from the Federation Council to the particularly distinguished servicemen.

Regions

At its extraordinary session, the Norilsk City Council adopted an amendment to the city charter, allowing the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory to propose a candidacy for the position of acting. Mayor of Norilsk for its approval by the City Council. An extraordinary session of the Norilsk City Council was convened yesterday due to the fact that the acting Mayor of Norilsk Gennady Petukhov resigned the day before due to difficulties in executing the city budget for 2003 and forming the budget for 2004. The deputies also adopted an amendment to the charter, which allows Gennady Petukhov, until the appointment of a new acting mayor to hold this position. To resolve the situation, the Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Alexander Khloponin intends to fly to Norilsk today. The post of mayor of Norilsk remains vacant after the former head of the city, Oleg Budargin, was elected governor of the Taimyr Autonomous Okrug on January 26.

Six candidates are vying for the post of chairman of the St. Petersburg election commission, the city election commission reports. According to the law, the Central Election Commission (CEC) can recommend a candidate for the post of chairman of the city election commission from among its members who have a legal education or an academic degree in law. The St. Petersburg Election Commission has five members with a law degree and one with a degree in law. At the same time, the city election commission emphasized that the Central Election Commission has not yet made recommendations for the position of chairman of the city commission. The Chairman of the St. Petersburg City Election Commission, Alexander Garusov, was removed from office on May 29 by nine votes of members of the election commission, with the required eight.

Based on materials from news agencies and our own information