Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba said, commenting on the alliance and strategic partnership agreement of Russia and Abkhazia, that long-term security enforcement was an important opportunity stipulated by the document, the Respublika Abkhazia paper reports.
According to adjustments introduced to the agreement by Abkhazia, the republic will play a bigger role in making decisions in the sectors of military, customs and border control. Abkhazia’s simplification of the naturalization process for Russian citizens was removed, so that ethnic Georgians who left Abkhazia in the 1990s would not demand their property back.
Abkhazia may take part in integration projects of the post-Soviet space, the “concerted” foreign policy became “coordinated,” the term “harmonization” of customs laws was replaced with “rapprochement.” The armed forces of Abkhazia and Russia will be under “joint” command, not “united” command. The deputy commander of joint forces will be appointed by the Abkhaz side. There are also other adjustments in the document, the basic parameters will not be altered.
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The World Bank (WB) will grant Armenia $75 million within the framework of the 2nd credit for the development policy, Delovoy Express reports. The funds will be granted for 25 years (14.5 years with a beneficial rate and floating rate) to finance budget programs. The WB will grant Armenia $50 million for realization of a program on development of commerce and infrastructure quality. The funds will be spent on development of exports, improvement of the investment climate and services. The government approved a loan agreement with the WB worth $40 million. The sum will be invested in modernization of the following highland power networks: Akhtanak, Charentsavan-3 and Vanadzor-1, that have already been exploited for about 45 years. The program focuses on improving the reliability of power supply and increasing the 230-kilometer power line.
The funds will be granted for 25 years (10-year beneficial rate and floating rate). The WB has granted Armenia loans worth $73 million since 1961.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) granted Armenia a loan worth $49 million. The funds will be spent on a program for stability of infrastructure. The program will improve efficiency of plumbing and road services. About 50% of the Armenian plumbing system needs modernization, some villages have no fresh water. The 25-year loan (5-year beneficial period) will be sent in two tranches. The ADB will provide technical assistance worth $900,000. The ADB has granted Armenia investments worth $133 million in the private sector. The European Investment Bank will grant Armenia 30.7 million euros for a program on municipal infrastructure of the water sector. The first tranche of the loan will total 25.5 million euros. It will be spent on reconstruction and construction of plumbing and sewer infrastructure in cities and villages. Another loan will be worth 5.2 million euros and will be spent on modernization of plumbing in Yerevan districts surrounding villages. KfW will grant 30 million euros, the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility will grant 15 million euros and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 5.3 million euros for the program. The German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will grant additional 2.5 million euros. The program will be in force until 2018. It will improve the quality of services for about 400,000 people.
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The Chechen capital is realizing the Grozny Sea project for construction of a sports, health and tourism complex on 300 hectares via reconstruction of the Chernorechensky Water Reservoir and surrounding territories, Grozny-Inform reports. A dike about 700m long has been reconstructed, the floodgate is ready. The bottom of the reservoir has been cleared of ooze and garbage. Water to fill it will come from the Chernorechensky and the Goytinsky well fields and the River Argun. Filling of the reservoir will start in December. Beaches for men and women will have been organized by the swimming season. Each beach will have an area of 2.5 hectares with a zone for swimming, recreation,a playground and a cafe with 50 seats.
A hotel complex with 100 rooms and five-star infrastructure, a five-storey aqua sports and health center for family recreation, entertainment, cultural events, sports and health procedures are under construction. The complex includes a floating two-level restaurant with 400 seats, an amusement park, a dolphinarium, a dendrological park and a music fountain will be built.
About 150 hectares will be beautified. A birch meadow was planted. About 20,000 trees and flowers need planting.
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The Novoye Vremya paper published an article “Russians in Azerbaijan” about the life of Molokans, Doukhobors and Old Believers who settled in Azerbaijan in the late 18th – early 19th centuries. Specialists and workers from all Russia moved to Azerbaijan during rapid development of the oil industry and urbanization. Many Russians arrived in Azerbaijan during the great Patriotic War and the industrial development of the 1950s. Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews and representatives of other nationalities moved there.
In 1993, the Russian Community of Azerbaijan was founded under the leadership of MP Mikhail Zabelin. The community has offices in 10 districts of Baku and all the largest cities of the country. The organization has 32 officers in total.. Russian-speaking organizations operate in Azerbaijan: the Association of Teachers of Russian-Language Education Centers of Azerbaijan, the Slavic Culture Center, the Association of Russian Youth of Azerbaijan, the International Russian-Language Youth Center and others. Azerbaijan has a Cossack community founded in 1994, it has about 1,500 members.
There are 8 Russian Orthodox churches in Azerbaijan, five of them are located in Baku. The largest church is the St. Sacred Myrrh-Bearer Cathedral. Three are located in Ganja, Khachmas and Sumgayit.
Azerbaijan has Russian print media, Russian book festivals, Russian language school contests. The Samed Vurgun Russian Drama Theater and the first post-Soviet Russian Book House are open in Azerbaijan.
Not a single Russian school has been closed down in Azerbaijan in the years of its independence. 384 schools teach in the Azerbaijani and Russian languages. 18 Azerbaijani and 14 branches of Russian higher education centers and 38 secondary specialized colleges have about 20,000 students. The Baku Slav University opened in 2000 teaches Slav languages. It has well-known Russian politicians, public, state and religious figures in the list of its honorary doctors. Russian pop music, feature films and TV channels are popular in Azerbaijan.
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Nazran will soon open a mini printing office to publish books for the blind, the Ingushetiya paper reports. Makka Tomova, one of the winners of the Mashuk-2013 grant, opened the first Center for Studies of the Braille. Blind people studying at the center write dictations, learn spelling, read literature.
According to statistics, over 900 people in Ingushetia have poor eye-sight, 300 are absolutely blind. Many of them are children and young people. Reading and writing using Braille is the key factor in socialization and development of their personalities.
Makka filed a bid for a new Mashuk grant this year. She proposed opening a small printing office to publish books for the blind at the Education and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind. She believes that products of the Ingush printing office would be sent to other regions. Equipment needed to run the office costs over 100,000 rubles. A philanthropist gave a means of transportation as a gift, people helped find fuel. A relative of a student drives blind people to studies and home. The Ingush committee for youth helped the Center buy a printer and software worth 207,000 rubles to print tactile books. Studies, computer equipment and printing equipment are all in one room provided by the Rassvet Center. Makka noted that the head of the republic promised to help resolve the problem.
Caucasus domestic and foreign political events in local pressAbkhaz President Raul Khajimba said, commenting on the alliance and strategic partnership agreement of Russia and Abkhazia, that long-term security enforcement was an important opportunity stipulated by the document, the Respublika Abkhazia paper reports.According to adjustments introduced to the agreement by Abkhazia, the republic will play a bigger role in making decisions in the sectors of military, customs and border control. Abkhazia’s simplification of the naturalization process for Russian citizens was removed, so that ethnic Georgians who left Abkhazia in the 1990s would not demand their property back.Abkhazia may take part in integration projects of the post-Soviet space, the “concerted” foreign policy became “coordinated,” the term “harmonization” of customs laws was replaced with “rapprochement.” The armed forces of Abkhazia and Russia will be under “joint” command, not “united” command. The deputy commander of joint forces will be appointed by the Abkhaz side. There are also other adjustments in the document, the basic parameters will not be altered.* * *The World Bank (WB) will grant Armenia $75 million within the framework of the 2nd credit for the development policy, Delovoy Express reports. The funds will be granted for 25 years (14.5 years with a beneficial rate and floating rate) to finance budget programs. The WB will grant Armenia $50 million for realization of a program on development of commerce and infrastructure quality. The funds will be spent on development of exports, improvement of the investment climate and services. The government approved a loan agreement with the WB worth $40 million. The sum will be invested in modernization of the following highland power networks: Akhtanak, Charentsavan-3 and Vanadzor-1, that have already been exploited for about 45 years. The program focuses on improving the reliability of power supply and increasing the 230-kilometer power line.The funds will be granted for 25 years (10-year beneficial rate and floating rate). The WB has granted Armenia loans worth $73 million since 1961.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) granted Armenia a loan worth $49 million. The funds will be spent on a program for stability of infrastructure. The program will improve efficiency of plumbing and road services. About 50% of the Armenian plumbing system needs modernization, some villages have no fresh water. The 25-year loan (5-year beneficial period) will be sent in two tranches. The ADB will provide technical assistance worth $900,000. The ADB has granted Armenia investments worth $133 million in the private sector. The European Investment Bank will grant Armenia 30.7 million euros for a program on municipal infrastructure of the water sector. The first tranche of the loan will total 25.5 million euros. It will be spent on reconstruction and construction of plumbing and sewer infrastructure in cities and villages. Another loan will be worth 5.2 million euros and will be spent on modernization of plumbing in Yerevan districts surrounding villages. KfW will grant 30 million euros, the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility will grant 15 million euros and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 5.3 million euros for the program. The German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will grant additional 2.5 million euros. The program will be in force until 2018. It will improve the quality of services for about 400,000 people.* * *The Chechen capital is realizing the Grozny Sea project for construction of a sports, health and tourism complex on 300 hectares via reconstruction of the Chernorechensky Water Reservoir and surrounding territories, Grozny-Inform reports. A dike about 700m long has been reconstructed, the floodgate is ready. The bottom of the reservoir has been cleared of ooze and garbage. Water to fill it will come from the Chernorechensky and the Goytinsky well fields and the River Argun. Filling of the reservoir will start in December. Beaches for men and women will have been organized by the swimming season. Each beach will have an area of 2.5 hectares with a zone for swimming, recreation,a playground and a cafe with 50 seats.A hotel complex with 100 rooms and five-star infrastructure, a five-storey aqua sports and health center for family recreation, entertainment, cultural events, sports and health procedures are under construction. The complex includes a floating two-level restaurant with 400 seats, an amusement park, a dolphinarium, a dendrological park and a music fountain will be built.About 150 hectares will be beautified. A birch meadow was planted. About 20,000 trees and flowers need planting.* * *The Novoye Vremya paper published an article “Russians in Azerbaijan” about the life of Molokans, Doukhobors and Old Believers who settled in Azerbaijan in the late 18th – early 19th centuries. Specialists and workers from all Russia moved to Azerbaijan during rapid development of the oil industry and urbanization. Many Russians arrived in Azerbaijan during the great Patriotic War and the industrial development of the 1950s. Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews and representatives of other nationalities moved there.In 1993, the Russian Community of Azerbaijan was founded under the leadership of MP Mikhail Zabelin. The community has offices in 10 districts of Baku and all the largest cities of the country. The organization has 32 officers in total.. Russian-speaking organizations operate in Azerbaijan: the Association of Teachers of Russian-Language Education Centers of Azerbaijan, the Slavic Culture Center, the Association of Russian Youth of Azerbaijan, the International Russian-Language Youth Center and others. Azerbaijan has a Cossack community founded in 1994, it has about 1,500 members.There are 8 Russian Orthodox churches in Azerbaijan, five of them are located in Baku. The largest church is the St. Sacred Myrrh-Bearer Cathedral. Three are located in Ganja, Khachmas and Sumgayit.Azerbaijan has Russian print media, Russian book festivals, Russian language school contests. The Samed Vurgun Russian Drama Theater and the first post-Soviet Russian Book House are open in Azerbaijan.Not a single Russian school has been closed down in Azerbaijan in the years of its independence. 384 schools teach in the Azerbaijani and Russian languages. 18 Azerbaijani and 14 branches of Russian higher education centers and 38 secondary specialized colleges have about 20,000 students. The Baku Slav University opened in 2000 teaches Slav languages. It has well-known Russian politicians, public, state and religious figures in the list of its honorary doctors. Russian pop music, feature films and TV channels are popular in Azerbaijan.* * *Nazran will soon open a mini printing office to publish books for the blind, the Ingushetiya paper reports. Makka Tomova, one of the winners of the Mashuk-2013 grant, opened the first Center for Studies of the Braille. Blind people studying at the center write dictations, learn spelling, read literature.According to statistics, over 900 people in Ingushetia have poor eye-sight, 300 are absolutely blind. Many of them are children and young people. Reading and writing using Braille is the key factor in socialization and development of their personalities.Makka filed a bid for a new Mashuk grant this year. She proposed opening a small printing office to publish books for the blind at the Education and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind. She believes that products of the Ingush printing office would be sent to other regions. Equipment needed to run the office costs over 100,000 rubles. A philanthropist gave a means of transportation as a gift, people helped find fuel. A relative of a student drives blind people to studies and home. The Ingush committee for youth helped the Center buy a printer and software worth 207,000 rubles to print tactile books. Studies, computer equipment and printing equipment are all in one room provided by the Rassvet Center. Makka noted that the head of the republic promised to help resolve the prob
