A session of the Abkhaz-Russian intergovernmental commission for socio-economic cooperation in Dagomys has focused on discussions of the financial aid Russia granted Abkhazia in 2014 and approval of the new investment program for 2015-2017, the Respublika Abkhazia newspaper reports.
Alexander Khloponin, the Russian co-chair of the commission, a vice prime minister of Russia, noted that the alliance and strategic partnership agreement signed by the presidents of Russia and Abkhazia on November 24 gave new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in defense, security and the development of the socio-economic and humanitarian sectors. He said that aid for Abkhazia will be doubled, despite Western sanctions. Khloponin called for intensification of work on other documents developing the alliance and strategic partnership agreement.
Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba, attending the meeting, noted that the image of Abkhazia had changed greatly with the help of Russian financial assistance in the social infrastructure. Abkhazia is now working on formation of mechanisms for development of the real sector of the economy and internal economic opportunities. He mentioned development of the agricultural complex in the light of Russia’s program for import displacement.
The investment program of 2014 is 82% complete, 39 out of 54 infrastructure facilities financed by Russia have been constructed, 10 more will have been built by the end of the year. A treasury system will be launched in Abkhazia on July 1, 2015, it will start fully operating on September 1, improving control and transparency of expenditures. The sides plan to make corrections to the program’s section for development of the real sector of the economy before March 2015.
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Vladikavkaz has held the second employment fair organized by employment services for Ukrainian refugees, the Severnaya Ossetiya paper reports. Refugees were offered over 2,000 vacancies. 15 enterprises and organizations took part in the fair, including the Raduga and Elektrotsink factories, the Voshod collective farm, the Vladikavkaz Metallurgy Technical School, Obshchepit and large construction companies. Vacancies were offered by local companies and companies from other regions. A list of organizations offering accommodation was made. The average salary offered is 12,000 rubles. Over 100 refugees are taking part in the fair, employment services provided transportation for them.
Employment of Ukrainian refugees started as soon as they started arriving from the conflict zone. They gain full information about vacancies in North Ossetia. Over 300 were registered for employment, 145 of whom have found jobs.
The first fair was organized in the Alagirsky District in August. Video communication with the Irkutsk Oblast was established, resulting in 45 people finding jobs in the mining sector. Some people were employed by local enterprises. Refugees expect salaries of 15,000-20,000 rubles.
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President of the Georgian National Bank Giorgi Kadagidze said that devaluation of the national currency was caused by internal and external factors, Georgia Online reports. The dollar price has been rising for 7 years. The misbalance between its price and reduction of internal currency flows into the republic has been rectified, according to Kadagidze. In his words, the country has no risks of financial or macroeconomic instability. The recent changes in the currency rate were caused by the activity of players on the market. The lari to dollar rate has dropped from 1.74 to 1.95 in the last two weeks.
Roman Gotsiridze, an ex-president of the National Bank, the head of the Republican Center for Economic Development, said in an interview with the Alia paper that the government should develop exports, tourism, freighting and investments to increase the flow of currency to the country. He believes that devaluation of the lari is associated with the changing economic course. In his opinion, the government will be correcting its mistakes for the next two years, so there will be no economic growth. Problems with infrastructure are visible in the municipal and the state sector. Staff and ideas are scarce too. There is no center for developing economic ideas. Gotsiridze thinks that the government should call for foreign professionals and hire advisors for the prime minister.
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Almost all the candidates for the U.S. Congress assisting in the development of Armenian-American issues won the elections on November 4, the Golos Armenii paper reports. The Ay Data American Committee of Dashkantsutyun said that over 95% of the candidates it supported won the elections.
The new Congress will start work in January 2015. The year is special for the marking of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Some pro-Armenian democrats will lose their posts due to the republican majority. Senator Robert Menendez, for instance, whom Ay Data gives the highest rating (A+), will no longer chair the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He will be replaced by republican Robert Korker (D+), one of the five senators who voted against the resolution on recognition of the Armenian genocide in April. Leader of the Senate majority Harry Reid (A) will be the leader of the minority. He will be replaced by senator Mitch McConnell (C+), who was supported by Ay Data when campaigning. Senator McConnell voted for most resolutions on Armenians.
House Speaker John Boehner (C) went up the career ladder because his party gained a majority. During his visit to Ankara, he said that the House of Representatives will not be engaged in the problem of the Armenian genocide. Kevin McCarthy (B-) remains the leader of the majority, he waas supported by Ay Data and has good ties with Armenian voters. Congressman E Royce (A+) will chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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Kabardino-Balkaria has good chances to create tours for gastronomes, the Kabardino-Balkarskaya Pravda paper reports. Lakums, khichins, shashlik, natural milk and cheese, eco apples and honey are just a few meals Kabardino-Balkaria may offer guests. Dozens of excursion buses stop at inns on their way to the Chegem Waterfalls to enjoy the national cuisine. In this case, the cuisine is only an element of the main tour. The level of service leaves much to be desired.
Experts say that functionaries, manufacturers, restaurateurs, tour operators and marketing specialists need coordination to popularize territories. Makhti Otarov, the head of the Directorate for Development and Sanatorium Resort Work of Kabardino-Balkaria, believes that cuisine tours can become a brand, the level of service in cafes and restaurants needs improving, the pricing policy should be corrected and a system of bonuses for tourists created. Otarov noted that notes had been sent to all districts with requests for help in choosing food enterprises willing to cooperate in development of gastronome tourism. Special working groups were formed in districts to evaluate the potential of local enterprises for food industry, cafes and restaurants. The best ones will be chosen, gastronome routes will be set. An agricultural ecological cluster was formed in the republic. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides were prohibited there. Excursions may be organized to apple orchards in the Chegemsky District, sampling of dairy products, gathering of vegetables and berries.
Caucasus domestic and foreign political events in local pressA session of the Abkhaz-Russian intergovernmental commission for socio-economic cooperation in Dagomys has focused on discussions of the financial aid Russia granted Abkhazia in 2014 and approval of the new investment program for 2015-2017, the Respublika Abkhazia newspaper reports.Alexander Khloponin, the Russian co-chair of the commission, a vice prime minister of Russia, noted that the alliance and strategic partnership agreement signed by the presidents of Russia and Abkhazia on November 24 gave new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in defense, security and the development of the socio-economic and humanitarian sectors. He said that aid for Abkhazia will be doubled, despite Western sanctions. Khloponin called for intensification of work on other documents developing the alliance and strategic partnership agreement.Abkhaz President Raul Khajimba, attending the meeting, noted that the image of Abkhazia had changed greatly with the help of Russian financial assistance in the social infrastructure. Abkhazia is now working on formation of mechanisms for development of the real sector of the economy and internal economic opportunities. He mentioned development of the agricultural complex in the light of Russia’s program for import displacement.The investment program of 2014 is 82% complete, 39 out of 54 infrastructure facilities financed by Russia have been constructed, 10 more will have been built by the end of the year. A treasury system will be launched in Abkhazia on July 1, 2015, it will start fully operating on September 1, improving control and transparency of expenditures. The sides plan to make corrections to the program’s section for development of the real sector of the economy before March 2015.* * *Vladikavkaz has held the second employment fair organized by employment services for Ukrainian refugees, the Severnaya Ossetiya paper reports. Refugees were offered over 2,000 vacancies. 15 enterprises and organizations took part in the fair, including the Raduga and Elektrotsink factories, the Voshod collective farm, the Vladikavkaz Metallurgy Technical School, Obshchepit and large construction companies. Vacancies were offered by local companies and companies from other regions. A list of organizations offering accommodation was made. The average salary offered is 12,000 rubles. Over 100 refugees are taking part in the fair, employment services provided transportation for them.Employment of Ukrainian refugees started as soon as they started arriving from the conflict zone. They gain full information about vacancies in North Ossetia. Over 300 were registered for employment, 145 of whom have found jobs.The first fair was organized in the Alagirsky District in August. Video communication with the Irkutsk Oblast was established, resulting in 45 people finding jobs in the mining sector. Some people were employed by local enterprises. Refugees expect salaries of 15,000-20,000 rubles.* * *President of the Georgian National Bank Giorgi Kadagidze said that devaluation of the national currency was caused by internal and external factors, Georgia Online reports. The dollar price has been rising for 7 years. The misbalance between its price and reduction of internal currency flows into the republic has been rectified, according to Kadagidze. In his words, the country has no risks of financial or macroeconomic instability. The recent changes in the currency rate were caused by the activity of players on the market. The lari to dollar rate has dropped from 1.74 to 1.95 in the last two weeks.Roman Gotsiridze, an ex-president of the National Bank, the head of the Republican Center for Economic Development, said in an interview with the Alia paper that the government should develop exports, tourism, freighting and investments to increase the flow of currency to the country. He believes that devaluation of the lari is associated with the changing economic course. In his opinion, the government will be correcting its mistakes for the next two years, so there will be no economic growth. Problems with infrastructure are visible in the municipal and the state sector. Staff and ideas are scarce too. There is no center for developing economic ideas. Gotsiridze thinks that the government should call for foreign professionals and hire advisors for the prime minister.* * *Almost all the candidates for the U.S. Congress assisting in the development of Armenian-American issues won the elections on November 4, the Golos Armenii paper reports. The Ay Data American Committee of Dashkantsutyun said that over 95% of the candidates it supported won the elections.The new Congress will start work in January 2015. The year is special for the marking of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Some pro-Armenian democrats will lose their posts due to the republican majority. Senator Robert Menendez, for instance, whom Ay Data gives the highest rating (A+), will no longer chair the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He will be replaced by republican Robert Korker (D+), one of the five senators who voted against the resolution on recognition of the Armenian genocide in April. Leader of the Senate majority Harry Reid (A) will be the leader of the minority. He will be replaced by senator Mitch McConnell (C+), who was supported by Ay Data when campaigning. Senator McConnell voted for most resolutions on Armenians.House Speaker John Boehner (C) went up the career ladder because his party gained a majority. During his visit to Ankara, he said that the House of Representatives will not be engaged in the problem of the Armenian genocide. Kevin McCarthy (B-) remains the leader of the majority, he waas supported by Ay Data and has good ties with Armenian voters. Congressman E Royce (A+) will chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.* * *Kabardino-Balkaria has good chances to create tours for gastronomes, the Kabardino-Balkarskaya Pravda paper reports. Lakums, khichins, shashlik, natural milk and cheese, eco apples and honey are just a few meals Kabardino-Balkaria may offer guests. Dozens of excursion buses stop at inns on their way to the Chegem Waterfalls to enjoy the national cuisine. In this case, the cuisine is only an element of the main tour. The level of service leaves much to be desired.Experts say that functionaries, manufacturers, restaurateurs, tour operators and marketing specialists need coordination to popularize territories. Makhti Otarov, the head of the Directorate for Development and Sanatorium Resort Work of Kabardino-Balkaria, believes that cuisine tours can become a brand, the level of service in cafes and restaurants needs improving, the pricing policy should be corrected and a system of bonuses for tourists created. Otarov noted that notes had been sent to all districts with requests for help in choosing food enterprises willing to cooperate in development of gastronome tourism. Special working groups were formed in districts to evaluate the potential of local enterprises for food industry, cafes and restaurants. The best ones will be chosen, gastronome routes will be set. An agricultural ecological cluster was formed in the republic. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides were prohibited there. Excursions may be organized to apple orchards in the Chegemsky District, sampling of dairy products, gathering of vegetables and berr
