Caucasus Press Review (November 3-9)

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev chaired a session of the governmental commission on the socio-economic development of the North Caucasian Federal District in Nalchik on November 5. Attendees of the session discussed the progress of the NCFD in import displacement and state guarantees on support of investment projects of the district. The PM emphasized that the North Caucasus had great potential in import displacement and could play an important role in realizing related road maps, boosting economic potential and opening new jobs in industry and agriculture, Dagestanskaya Pravda reports.

Dagestani Leader Ramazan Abdulatipov noted that Dagestan had the highest rate of industrial development, though the share of its industry in the economy was small. Import displacement may stimulate development of industry in the Dagestani economy. “We have large factories, including factories we had in the military industrial complex, many of them have minimal output. There are over 800,000 meters of free space available for development of production here.” The republic needs state support for investment projects within the framework of federal development programs. The Dagestani leader initiated talks on governmental guarantees for investments of the republic, development of electricity, exploitation of natural resources, extraction of oil on the shelf of the Caspian Sea.

According to Ingush Leader Yunus-bek Yevkurov, the projects realized in the republic were a good opportunity for import displacement, the Ingushetia newspaper reports. The republic is developing modern apple farms with Italian intensive-growth technologies that allow the region to produce enough apples for itself and sell some to other regions, and organize shipments of the product to central parts of Russia. The republic has sufficiently increased potato fields. The government focuses on private farmers who have collected a record volume of the product and plan to sell it to other regions. Yevkurov pointed out the need to develop the fishing industry and agricultural cooperation.

North Ossetian Leader Taymuraz Mamsurov supposes that his region could cover all demands for potatoes and poultry, the Severnaya Ossetiya paper reports. The republic produced 6% of all sturgeon in Russia in 2013 and plans to increase the figure to 20%. The region also expects to hold half of the market of corn seeds. It has potential to produce over 500,000 of potato seeds a year, enough to supply all Russia’s South.

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At the discussions of the budget for 2015 in Armenia, lawmakers found out that it did not include financial adjustments associated with Armenia joining the Eurasian Economic Union, the Novoye Vremya paper reports. Armenian Deputy Minister for Finances Pavel Safaryan clarified that the EaEU membership agreement needed approval of the Constitutional Court and ratification in the parliament. He admitted that there were technical problems. Negotiations on 800 types of products imported by Armenia continue. According to the Constitution, the project's budget should be sent before October 2, but Deputy Minister for Finances Suren Karayan discussed customs fees in Moscow until October 15, and the list had never been fully approved. Preliminary calculations of the government say that the budget will get an additional $180 million after reconsideration of customs fees. Implementing them into the economy would generate a GDP growth of 1%m, about $33.8 million of tax income.

Speaking about anti-Russian sanctions, Safaryan admitted that GDP growth of 5.2% would not be achieved in 2014, one of the reasons is the reduction of private transfers from Russia. The sanctions have reduced them by 25%, directly affecting GDP growth, which will amount to only 3%. Investments in the Armenian economy will fall.

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The problem of financing medical services for people without Russian citizenship abroad has been solved. Related amendments have been passed to the law on state budget, the Yuzhnaya Ossetiya paper reports.

South Ossetian Deputy Minister for Healthcare and Social Development Agunda Pliyeva explained that most of the population in the republic had South Ossetian and Russian citizenship and could get free medical assistance in Russia. Some people, including those that need high-tech and specialized treatment, have only South Ossetian citizenship and cannot expect any free medical assistance in Russian clinics. The Healthcare Ministry was helping such people, organizing their treatment in Russian medical centers. Thus, the debt for medical services for South Ossetian patients was accumulating.

According to Pliyeva, finances to cover the debt have been found. 4 million rubles were granted to it this year. Half of the sum will be spent on covering the debt for treatment in Russia, and half on medical assistance for citizens without Russian citizenship stationed in Russian clinics. Pliyeva added that the problem was essential for development of the budget of 2015.

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25 A-class ambulances arrived in Kabardino-Balkaria in early October, they are operated by central district hospitals, the Kabardino-Balkarskaya Pravda paper reports. 8 more B-class emergency ambulances were purchased by the republic. 7 C-class ambulances were bought.

Overall, medical centers of the republic will have received over 60 specialized vehicles, including special ones for highland areas, by the end of the year.

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Azerbaijan will conclude the state program for training youth abroad in 2015. The program has been realized since 2007. About 3,200 students and post-graduates have been sent to Western universities, higher economic and technical schools since then, the Azerbaydzhanskiye Novosti paper reports.

Up to 1,000 young people will be picked for studies abroad in the next year. The plan was to train 5,000 students in prestigious education centers of the world. Candidates for the program were picked according to their knowledge, ambitions and communicability. One of the students sent for studies abroad was expelled for poor marks. Bachelors continue their studies to get a master’s degree and residency training. About 550 young specialists with foreign degrees returned home and work in state and private structures.

The Ministry for Education is preparing a new program for education abroad in 2015-2020. Preference for social and humanitarian sciences have been switched with technical and medical specialization. Preference will also be given to students willing to get masters degrees and doctorates and continue working in the science sector. Another innovation in the program is studies of foreign students in Azerbaijani education centers, promotion and recognition of Azerbaijani degrees abroad and participation in international exhibitions.

Caucasus domestic and foreign political events in local pressRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev chaired a session of the governmental commission on the socio-economic development of the North Caucasian Federal District in Nalchik on November 5. Attendees of the session discussed the progress of the NCFD in import displacement and state guarantees on support of investment projects of the district. The PM emphasized that the North Caucasus had great potential in import displacement and could play an important role in realizing related road maps, boosting economic potential and opening new jobs in industry and agriculture, Dagestanskaya Pravda reports.Dagestani Leader Ramazan Abdulatipov noted that Dagestan had the highest rate of industrial development, though the share of its industry in the economy was small. Import displacement may stimulate development of industry in the Dagestani economy. “We have large factories, including factories we had in the military industrial complex, many of them have minimal output. There are over 800,000 meters of free space available for development of production here.” The republic needs state support for investment projects within the framework of federal development programs. The Dagestani leader initiated talks on governmental guarantees for investments of the republic, development of electricity, exploitation of natural resources, extraction of oil on the shelf of the Caspian Sea.According to Ingush Leader Yunus-bek Yevkurov, the projects realized in the republic were a good opportunity for import displacement, the Ingushetia newspaper reports. The republic is developing modern apple farms with Italian intensive-growth technologies that allow the region to produce enough apples for itself and sell some to other regions, and organize shipments of the product to central parts of Russia. The republic has sufficiently increased potato fields. The government focuses on private farmers who have collected a record volume of the product and plan to sell it to other regions. Yevkurov pointed out the need to develop the fishing industry and agricultural cooperation.North Ossetian Leader Taymuraz Mamsurov supposes that his region could cover all demands for potatoes and poultry, the Severnaya Ossetiya paper reports. The republic produced 6% of all sturgeon in Russia in 2013 and plans to increase the figure to 20%. The region also expects to hold half of the market of corn seeds. It has potential to produce over 500,000 of potato seeds a year, enough to supply all Russia’s South.* * *At the discussions of the budget for 2015 in Armenia, lawmakers found out that it did not include financial adjustments associated with Armenia joining the Eurasian Economic Union, the Novoye Vremya paper reports. Armenian Deputy Minister for Finances Pavel Safaryan clarified that the EaEU membership agreement needed approval of the Constitutional Court and ratification in the parliament. He admitted that there were technical problems. Negotiations on 800 types of products imported by Armenia continue. According to the Constitution, the project's budget should be sent before October 2, but Deputy Minister for Finances Suren Karayan discussed customs fees in Moscow until October 15, and the list had never been fully approved. Preliminary calculations of the government say that the budget will get an additional $180 million after reconsideration of customs fees. Implementing them into the economy would generate a GDP growth of 1%m, about $33.8 million of tax income.Speaking about anti-Russian sanctions, Safaryan admitted that GDP growth of 5.2% would not be achieved in 2014, one of the reasons is the reduction of private transfers from Russia. The sanctions have reduced them by 25%, directly affecting GDP growth, which will amount to only 3%. Investments in the Armenian economy will fall.* * *The problem of financing medical services for people without Russian citizenship abroad has been solved. Related amendments have been passed to the law on state budget, the Yuzhnaya Ossetiya paper reports.South Ossetian Deputy Minister for Healthcare and Social Development Agunda Pliyeva explained that most of the population in the republic had South Ossetian and Russian citizenship and could get free medical assistance in Russia. Some people, including those that need high-tech and specialized treatment, have only South Ossetian citizenship and cannot expect any free medical assistance in Russian clinics. The Healthcare Ministry was helping such people, organizing their treatment in Russian medical centers. Thus, the debt for medical services for South Ossetian patients was accumulating.According to Pliyeva, finances to cover the debt have been found. 4 million rubles were granted to it this year. Half of the sum will be spent on covering the debt for treatment in Russia, and half on medical assistance for citizens without Russian citizenship stationed in Russian clinics. Pliyeva added that the problem was essential for development of the budget of 2015.* * *25 A-class ambulances arrived in Kabardino-Balkaria in early October, they are operated by central district hospitals, the Kabardino-Balkarskaya Pravda paper reports. 8 more B-class emergency ambulances were purchased by the republic. 7 C-class ambulances were bought.Overall, medical centers of the republic will have received over 60 specialized vehicles, including special ones for highland areas, by the end of the year.* * *Azerbaijan will conclude the state program for training youth abroad in 2015. The program has been realized since 2007. About 3,200 students and post-graduates have been sent to Western universities, higher economic and technical schools since then.Up to 1,000 young people will be picked for studies abroad in the next year. The plan was to train 5,000 students in prestigious education centers of the world. Candidates for the program were picked according to their knowledge, ambitions and communicability. One of the students sent for studies abroad was expelled for poor marks. Bachelors continue their studies to get a master’s degree and residency training. About 550 young specialists with foreign degrees returned home and work in state and private structures.The Ministry for Education is preparing a new program for education abroad in 2015-2020. Preference for social and humanitarian sciences have been switched with technical and medical specialization. Preference will also be given to students willing to get masters degrees and doctorates and continue working in the science sector. Another innovation in the program is studies of foreign students in Azerbaijani education centers, promotion and recognition of Azerbaijani degrees abroad and participation in international exhibit
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