Caucasus Press Review (March 23-29)

The Den Respubliki paper of Karachay-Cherkessia informs that Russian Minister for Agriculture Nikolai Fedorov met with authorities of the agricultural sector of the NCFD, officials of sector unions and agrarian business in Cherkessk. The minister focused their attention on production of agricultural goods on the level needed to comply with the Food Security Doctrine and the State Program for Development of Agriculture, and the demands of domestic consumers. In his words, farmers need to create reserves for the development of export potential, which means at least 9.65 million tons of grain, 1.44 million tons of sugar beet, over 1.5 million tons of potatoes.

Fedorov emphasized that the federal district had favourable conditions and was developing gardening dynamically. The ministry has worked out the lowest sustainable volume of subsidies for expansion of vegetable, fruit and berry plantations. Subsidies will be granted to gardens with at least a hectare planted. Up to two billion rubles are ready to be allocated to subsidize planting and care for plantations, up to 20% of expenditure on construction of granaries will be compensated.

The Russian Ministry for Agriculture called the NCFD the leader of the wool industry among federal districts. Production of fine wool is still increasing too slowly. The State Program for Development of Agriculture conditions subsidies for the production and distribution of fine wool and semi-fine wool. The federal budget has about 900 million rubles to spend on the wool industry until 2017. The minister has drawn special attention to timely allocation of state funds from the federal and regional budgets to agricultural manufacturers. According to his information, farmers received only 4.85% of funds from the federal budget as of March 19, which is the lowest indicator among federal districts.

 

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South Ossetian Prime Minister Domenti Kulumbegov has emphasized the readiness of the country to start realization of the Investment Program for Assistance in Socio-Economic Development in 2015, the Yuzhnaya Osetiya paper reports. In his words, 16 out of 25 buildings set out in the program will be opened this year, 9 more in 2016. The construction of some of them has already started: schools in Kvayse and Kornis, two schools in the capital, the Sinagur-Karzman road, gas-distribution networks, the State Drama Theater.

Kulumbegov has given detailed information about events planned within the framework of the Investment Program in the next 3 years. The program includes construction of 37 buildings. The Investment Program stipulates construction of an academic building of the South Ossetian University over the burned down building in 2015-2017, it has already been demolished. The republican somatic hospital in Tskhinvali will be replaced by a children’s hospital and a rehabilitation center, a new maternity center and an operating building with a haemodialysis department. The construction list includes a bakery and beautification of the park in the center of Tskhinvali. The building for young technicians will be fully renovated. The republic plans to build a memorial complex and complete other objectives. 9.6 billion rubles have been granted for the realization of the program within three years.

The Investment Program conditions 800 million rubles of allocations for the development of the real sector of the economy. Russian banks will provide an additional 1.2 billion rubles. The Investment Agency was formed to grant loans to potential investors with an interest rate of 10% annually. Projects aimed at forming enterprises to produce commodities using local resources will be given priority. One of the primary objectives will be to revive and develop the processing industry. The prime minister assured that Russian and local entrepreneurs may file bids, rentable projects will be financed.

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The Novoye Vremya paper of Armenia has published an article titled “Armenia: Eurasian economy, European policy?” The article states that Armenia has recently activated contacts with European structures. Yerevan held the fourth plenary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and the 15th session of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Commission. European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn visited the republic. President Serzh Sargsyan visited Brussels to attend the European People’s Party summit, high-ranking Armenian officials and some EU ambassadors made speeches at the summit.

According to Polish Ambassador to Armenia Jerzy Nowakowski, Armenia and the European Union will sign a new agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit which Riga will host on May 21-22. The new document will set out the legal framework for further cooperation. The diplomat noted that Armenia has 

expressed willingness to deepen cooperation in the political sector in the context of membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The author of the article reminds that Armenia set a course for membership of the Eurasian Union at the latest Eastern Partnership summit held in Vilnius, expressing readiness to sign the political section of the EU Association Agreement. After Yerevan’s refusal to initial the Association Agreement, the European Commission changed its mind about concessions. After the elections to the European Parliament, the Armenian authorities raised the issue once again. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan emphasizes that cooperation with the EU should not contradict obligations within the framework of the EaEU.

The activation of Yerevan in Europe is an attempt to strengthen its positions in relations with Moscow, its main ally. Joining the EaEU and being a member of the CSTO creates a powerful inclination towards Russia in the foreign policy of Armenia. Unsurprisingly, the Armenian president and foreign minister criticized Russia a few days ago for selling large portions of weapons to Azerbaijan, the author of the article reminds. The further steps of the Kremlin will depend on how far the Armenian authorities progress on the path towards cooperation with the EU. Should the lack of economic dividends associated with the economic tailspin in Russia, which was caused by low oil prices and Western sanctions, be complemented by lack of political ones, the Armenian elite, not to mention the society, would be in greater doubts about the fruitfulness of the current format of relations with Russia, the author deduces.

 

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The Respublika Abkhazia paper reports that the Abkhaz Cabinet has held a presentation of a new internal passport developed by Russia’s Goznak.

The federal enterprise developed and released the international passport of Abkhazia, and the diplomatic passport. Specialists of Goznak put the state symbol of Abkhazia, watermarks, depictions of the Sukhumi river bank, Lake Ritsa, ornaments. Goznak minted collectable coins and made checkbooks. Driver’s licenses, registries of vehicles, collectable symbols are produced at Goznak for the Abkhaz Interior Ministry.

Abkhazia and Goznak are about to sign an agreement to develop a system for release and account of IDs, an agreement on the supply of passport forms. From April 1 to July 1, 2015, the design of the document and the purchase and installation of machinery for centers of personal information will be completed. From August 1, 2015, to January 30, 2016, a total of 250,000 Abkhaz internal passports will be released. The republics will have 13 passport offices, where people will file documents and receive passports and gain residency permits. About 40 million rubles will be spent on the realization of the project. 150,000 passports will be released, each worth 135 rubles. 50,000 residency permits will be released, each costing 188 rubles to print.

 

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The Social Support Fund 'Solidarnost' has officially been registered in the regional Directorate of the Ingush Justice Ministry, the Ingushetia paper reports. The idea of creating the fund belongs to Ingush Leader Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. He expressed hope that many residents would take an active part in the charity organization and donate a daily salary to it once a month to help improve the living standards of low-income families. In Yevkurov’s opinion, the money collected by the fund will help all low-income families regardless of their origin and religion.

The Supervisory Board consisting of notable religious and public figures will monitor and coordinate Solidarnost. The fund’s work should be transparent and open, according the Yevkurov. The Ingush leader emphasized several times that state-paid workers will participate voluntarily. “If we properly explain what the fund is created for, many residents of Ingushetia will take part in the charitable deed and gladly transfer part of their salary,” Yunus-Bek Yevkurov assures.

Caucasus domestic and foreign political events in local pressThe Den Respubliki paper of Karachay-Cherkessia informs that Russian Minister for Agriculture Nikolai Fedorov met with authorities of the agricultural sector of the NCFD, officials of sector unions and agrarian business in Cherkessk. The minister focused their attention on production of agricultural goods on the level needed to comply with the Food Security Doctrine and the State Program for Development of Agriculture, and the demands of domestic consumers. In his words, farmers need to create reserves for the development of export potential, which means at least 9.65 million tons of grain, 1.44 million tons of sugar beet, over 1.5 million tons of potatoes.Fedorov emphasized that the federal district had favourable conditions and was developing gardening dynamically. The ministry has worked out the lowest sustainable volume of subsidies for expansion of vegetable, fruit and berry plantations. Subsidies will be granted to gardens with at least a hectare planted. Up to two billion rubles are ready to be allocated to subsidize planting and care for plantations, up to 20% of expenditure on construction of granaries will be compensated.The Russian Ministry for Agriculture called the NCFD the leader of the wool industry among federal districts. Production of fine wool is still increasing too slowly. The State Program for Development of Agriculture conditions subsidies for the production and distribution of fine wool and semi-fine wool. The federal budget has about 900 million rubles to spend on the wool industry until 2017. The minister has drawn special attention to timely allocation of state funds from the federal and regional budgets to agricultural manufacturers. According to his information, farmers received only 4.85% of funds from the federal budget as of March 19, which is the lowest indicator among federal districts.* * *South Ossetian Prime Minister Domenti Kulumbegov has emphasized the readiness of the country to start realization of the Investment Program for Assistance in Socio-Economic Development in 2015. In his words, 16 out of 25 buildings set out in the program will be opened this year, 9 more in 2016. The construction of some of them has already started: schools in Kvayse and Kornis, two schools in the capital, the Sinagur-Karzman road, gas-distribution networks, the State Drama Theater.Kulumbegov has given detailed information about events planned within the framework of the Investment Program in the next 3 years. The program includes construction of 37 buildings. The Investment Program stipulates construction of an academic building of the South Ossetian University over the burned down building in 2015-2017, it has already been demolished. The republican somatic hospital in Tskhinvali will be replaced by a children’s hospital and a rehabilitation center, a new maternity center and an operating building with a haemodialysis department. The construction list includes a bakery and beautification of the park in the center of Tskhinvali. The building for young technicians will be fully renovated. The republic plans to build a memorial complex and complete other objectives. 9.6 billion rubles have been granted for the realization of the program within three years.The Investment Program conditions 800 million rubles of allocations for the development of the real sector of the economy. Russian banks will provide an additional 1.2 billion rubles. The Investment Agency was formed to grant loans to potential investors with an interest rate of 10% annually. Projects aimed at forming enterprises to produce commodities using local resources will be given priority. One of the primary objectives will be to revive and develop the processing industry. The prime minister assured that Russian and local entrepreneurs may file bids, rentable projects will be financed.* * *The Novoye Vremya paper of Armenia has published an article titled “Armenia: Eurasian economy, European policy?” The article states that Armenia has recently activated contacts with European structures. Yerevan held the fourth plenary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and the 15th session of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Commission. European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn visited the republic. President Serzh Sargsyan visited Brussels to attend the European People’s Party summit, high-ranking Armenian officials and some EU ambassadors made speeches at the summit.* * *According to Polish Ambassador to Armenia Jerzy Nowakowski, Armenia and the European Union will sign a new agreement at the Eastern Partnership summit which Riga will host on May 21-22. The new document will set out the legal framework for further cooperation. The diplomat noted that Armenia has expressed willingness to deepen cooperation in the political sector in the context of membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The author of the article reminds that Armenia set a course for membership of the Eurasian Union at the latest Eastern Partnership summit held in Vilnius, expressing readiness to sign the political section of the EU Association Agreement. After Yerevan’s refusal to initial the Association Agreement, the European Commission changed its mind about concessions. After the elections to the European Parliament, the Armenian authorities raised the issue once again. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan emphasizes that cooperation with the EU should not contradict obligations within the framework of the EaEU.The activation of Yerevan in Europe is an attempt to strengthen its positions in relations with Moscow, its main ally. Joining the EaEU and being a member of the CSTO creates a powerful inclination towards Russia in the foreign policy of Armenia. Unsurprisingly, the Armenian president and foreign minister criticized Russia a few days ago for selling large portions of weapons to Azerbaijan, the author of the article reminds. The further steps of the Kremlin will depend on how far the Armenian authorities progress on the path towards cooperation with the EU. Should the lack of economic dividends associated with the economic tailspin in Russia, which was caused by low oil prices and Western sanctions, be complemented by lack of political ones, the Armenian elite, not to mention the society, would be in greater doubts about the fruitfulness of the current format of relations with Russia, the author deduces.* * *The Respublika Abkhazia paper reports that the Abkhaz Cabinet has held a presentation of a new internal passport developed by Russia’s Goznak.The federal enterprise developed and released the international passport of Abkhazia, and the diplomatic passport. Specialists of Goznak put the state symbol of Abkhazia, watermarks, depictions of the Sukhumi river bank, Lake Ritsa, ornaments. Goznak minted collectable coins and made checkbooks. Driver’s licenses, registries of vehicles, collectable symbols are produced at Goznak for the Abkhaz Interior Ministry.Abkhazia and Goznak are about to sign an agreement to develop a system for release and account of IDs, an agreement on the supply of passport forms. From April 1 to July 1, 2015, the design of the document and the purchase and installation of machinery for centers of personal information will be completed. From August 1, 2015, to January 30, 2016, a total of 250,000 Abkhaz internal passports will be released. The republics will have 13 passport offices, where people will file documents and receive passports and gain residency permits. About 40 million rubles will be spent on the realization of the project. 150,000 passports will be released, each worth 135 rubles. 50,000 residency permits will be released, each costing 188 rubles to print.* * *The Social Support Fund 'Solidarnost' has officially been registered in the regional Directorate of the Ingush Justice Ministry, the Ingushetia paper reports. The idea of creating the fund belongs to Ingush Leader Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. He expressed hope that many residents would take an active part in the charity organization and donate a daily salary to it once a month to help improve the living standards of low-income families. In Yevkurov’s opinion, the money collected by the fund will help all low-income families regardless of their origin and religion.The Supervisory Board consisting of notable religious and public figures will monitor and coordinate Solidarnost. The fund’s work should be transparent and open, according the Yevkurov. The Ingush leader emphasized several times that state-paid workers will participate voluntarily. “If we properly explain what the fund is created for, many residents of Ingushetia will take part in the charitable deed and gladly transfer part of their salary,” Yunus-Bek Yevkurov ass