Georgia has followed in America's footsteps Georgia is confidently moving along the path of the most advanced countries in the field of democracy in the world. Today, the Georgian Central Electoral Commission is due to publish the results of the elections to the 49-mandate Tbilisi parliament - “sakrebulo” (assembly), held on June 2, recalculated within 48 hours.

The plant wants to place shares in New York Russia's largest meat agro-industrial holding, AIC Cherkizovsky, announced yesterday its intention to place shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) by the end of next year. Analysts say the industry is attractive enough that the stock may be of interest to the market, but they doubt the wisdom of choosing the NYSE. Market participants are much more skeptical.

The Supreme Court of Chechnya overturned yesterday the acquittal of two high-ranking officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the case of the execution of the Sergiev Posad OMON detachment on March 2, 2000 in the suburbs of Grozny. Then the convoy of policemen came under crossfire from federal forces, who mistook the riot police for militants. 22 people were killed, another 54 police officers were injured.

The competitive cycle of preparing the Russian men's and women's volleyball teams for the upcoming world championships in September-October this year has begun. The men's national team, led by Gennady Shipulin, is participating in the Six Nations Tournament in Italy. In the opening match of these competitions, where all opponents will play in one round, our guys prevailed over the Yugoslavs - 3:1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:19, 25:20).

Although Yuri Nikiforov was recognized as the best player of the match, national team midfielder Valery KARPIN deserved this title no less. And not only for scoring a penalty or for a good game in attack, but also for the fact that Karpin carried the ball out of our almost empty goal. - Everyone must work for themselves and for others. At that moment I found myself in Solomatin’s place and I’m glad that I handled the situation no worse than any great defender.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of General Motors Corp. Jack Smith announced that in April 2003, when he turns 65, he will leave his post. Making his announcement at the end of the annual shareholders' meeting, Mr. Smith, who has served as chairman since 1996, did not name his successor that way. GM is now looking for ways to lower current prices to increase sales in the United States. This policy has been carried out by the concern for the fifth year.

The law on the Central Bank has reached the next round The State Duma has finally completed work on amendments to the law on the Bank of Russia, having adopted them yesterday in the final, third reading. True, it is possible that the deputies will have to return to this law again: the government and the Central Bank, not entirely satisfied with the final text, predict that the Duma version will be rejected either by the senators or the president.

Bashkiria offers the center to buy it back An extraordinary solution to the problem of restoring federal law in all regions without exceptions, that is, completely, was proposed to the Cabinet of Ministers by the leadership of the Republic of Bashkiria. The Bashkirs valued their sovereignty, which they “took away” from the center during the time of Boris Yeltsin, at approximately 130 billion rubles (or more than 4 billion dollars).

Consul General of Mongolia Luvsanzhiin Mundagbatar in Irkutsk was hospitalized yesterday as a result of an accident. According to preliminary data, he fell from the balcony of his apartment on the third floor. Luckily, the garages below softened the blow. Ambulance doctors took the diplomat to the trauma department of the medical unit of the Irkutsk Aviation Production Association. Doctors assessed the patient's condition as satisfactory. Alexander LYAKHOV

Today, the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University celebrates its 50th anniversary. On the eve of the anniversary, the correspondent of the Vremya Novostey newspaper Maxim BALUTENKO talked with the dean, Professor Yasen ZASURSKY, about the state of the faculty, its goals and future plans. — Yasen Nikolaevich, how has journalism changed over the half-century of the faculty’s existence? - When our faculty was created, there was a period of post-war “warming”, friendship with the allies.

The former President of Chile, Senator Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, visited Russia. The guest spoke to Latin American scholars, met with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, and visited St. Petersburg. Before leaving, Alexander MOISEEV talked with Eduardo FREY. — I recently read a book by your father, also a former president of Chile.

The St. Petersburg prosecutor's office has completed the investigation of the case against the famous businessman Mikhail Mirilashvili and eight employees of his companies. All of them are accused of organizing a criminal group with the aim of kidnapping a person, and some, including the boss himself, are also accused of murder. The case began in August 2000 with the abduction of father Mikhail Mirilashvili.

Everyone who has ideas should have the right to start their own business. Government bills deprive Russians of this right, says Oksana DMITRIEVA, deputy chairman of the Duma budget committee, one of the authors of the alternative project. — What has small business already gained from the tax revolution? - He lost all the benefits he had. There are no tax holidays on income tax, VAT benefits have been virtually eliminated, and much more.

The New Drama Festival was closed by the Moscow Choir The direction of Lev Dodin (namely, he is listed in the program as the artistic director of this production; the director is Igor Konyaev) is the quintessence and at the same time the acme of the Russian-Soviet theatrical style. Precisely Russian-Soviet. For all the signature advantages of the domestic theater school: subtle and deep psychologism, the ability to recreate the course of life in all its details, etc.

America was not attacked by Bin Laden American intelligence agencies, which have recently been increasingly criticized for their failure to prevent the September 11 terrorist attacks, reported the success of the investigation. On the day of the start of special congressional hearings on their activities, the intelligence services released the name of the coordinator of the September operation. It was organized not by Bin Laden himself, but by 37-year-old Kuwaiti Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.