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BOEING-777'S WILL LAND ON KAMCHATKA
Dmitry Ponomarev, deputy director of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky avia company, informed that a number of foreign airlines would like to use the Yelizovo airport on Kamchatka as a reserve airport.
Also, talks are in process to open for Boeings the flight Seattle - Novosibirsk - Yakutsk - Petropavlovsk. To serve the aircraft of this class, the local avia company needs permission by the governmental office of civil aviation. Yelizovo airport submitted all necessary documents to Moscow and, by Ponomarev's words, permission may be received in the nearest months. - Yury ROGOV.
RAO UES OF RUSSIA CONSIDERS ORGANIZING NORTHEASTERN ENERGY HOLDING
A Northeastern energy holding can be set up in the Russian Far East in the process of power sector restructuring.
As JSC Yakutskenergo spokesman informs, its director general Konstantin Ilkovsky made this declaration during a meeting on plans for 2004. By his words, members of such a holding could be isolated energy systems of Far East - YakutskEnergo, MagadanEnergo, KolymaEnergo, ChukotEnergo and, partly, KamchatEnergo.
He explained that a management company will be set up in the first stage that will perform as an executive body of these companies and their affiliates. A holding with common equity will be set up in the second stage. RAO UES of Russia considers the possibility of this project, noted Ilkovsky. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.
DPRK OWES YAKUTIA FOR COAL
A meeting in Neryungri, Yakutia attended by governmental delegations of Yakutia and DPRK discussed problems of the Yakutian-North Korean coal mining company Erchim-Tkhan.
The company is in a critical position because the North Korean partner is insolvent, and the Yakutian side has to think over possible termination of further work. The company ships coal to DPRK but has wage and tax arrears and lack working capital to develop production.
An extraordinary meeting of JV partners will soon consider the financial aspects of the projects. The North Korean partners promised to repay the debt reaching 15 million rubles and 10 million rubles of tax payments. - Irina DROBYSHEVA.
UNEMPLOYMENT ON THE RISE IN PRIMORYE
Primorsky Krai office of the federal employment authority informs that about 8,000 persons will be laid off from local enterprises in the nearest future.
For instance, 133 persons will be laid off by Artemovsky heating utility, 294 by Dalnerechensky water and sewage utility, 320 by Lesozavodsky REU, 118 by Ussuriisky DOK, 181 by Novoshakhtinsky open-pit coal mine.
Khorolsky Raion employment centre was notified on mass layoffs at Yaroslavsky GOK due to its liquidation. 1,649 persons received layoff notices.
In its report to Primorsky Krai office of the federal employment authority, Lazovsky Raion employment centre expressed concern about growing unemployment rate in its territory. 849 jobless applied to this centre in 10 months of 2002, and 1,004 did so in this year.
Rural areas account for more than half of unemployment rate (54%). 78,300 applied to employment centres during 10 months (97% on same period a year ago). Highest unemployment rates are registered in the following raions: Anuchinsky - 21.4%, Krasnoarmeisky - 17%, Yakovlevsky - 16%, Chuguyevsky - 14%. Lowest unemployment rates are observed in Vladivostok, Nakhodka and Ussuriisk cities.
As of 1 November, there were 40,400 persons seeking for jobs registered by employment centres. The number of job vacancies available during 10 months was 92,200 totally and 12,400 as of late October (+19% on October 2002). The bulk of vacancies is available in cities - 88.4%, of which 45.5% is in Vladivostok. - Irina DROBYSHEVA.
CHIEF FOREST RANGER SENTENCED FOR BRIBERY IN JAO
Valery Nikitinsky, former deputy head of the Natural Resources Office and chief forest ranger of Jewish Autonomous Oblast, was sentenced to 3 years in penal colony and interdiction to hold governmental positions during 3 following years.
This sentence entered into force after Nikitinsky's cassation was rejected by the regional court collegium and the district court's ruling was confirmed.
In 2002, Nikitinsky unlawfully issued permit for Korean cedar cutting to Lesnoy Holding Company exporting timber to China. 200 trees listed in the Red Book of JAO were cut during two months while this permit was valid. Environmental damage was valued at 6 million rubles, and Nikitinsky charged $5,000 for this service. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.
SBERBANK HAS NO COMPETITORS IN BACK-COUNTRY
Ilya Yuzhanov, minister of anti-monopoly policies, declared at a meeting in Khabarovsk that he has concern about many districts in the Far East due to the absence of competitors to Sberbank.
The meeting was attended by presidential envoy Konstantin Pulikovsky, officials from executive bodies of Far East regions, heads of territorial offices of the Ministry of Anti-Monopoly Policies, CEOs of Far East's largest banks.
For instance, Sberbank holds 92% of all deposits in Yakutia. The only Far East's region where Sberbank has no monopoly is Primorsky Krai, but here, in turn, about 80% of deposits is held by one bank, the Bank of Moscow.
Yuzhanov expressed also some concern regarding the region's insurance market. For instance, only one insurer operates in Jewish Autonomous Oblast. The only insurer operating at the Russian-Chinese border in Primorye is Military Insurance Company founded by the Federal Border Service and State Customs Committee.
Nonetheless, Pulikovsky noted in his closing speech that considerable changes occurred in the Far Eastern financial market in recent years. "Insurance business, leasing and mortgage came to existence, competition among banks becomes higher. All this improves the social and economic situation in Far Eastern regions, though the market of such services is still inadequate," he said. - Yevgeny ITAROV.
AUSTRIANS WILL HELP UTILIZE GARBAGE
Arseniev city administration's Economy and Planning Department submitted for consideration by the regional administration a project to build a garbage recycling plant in Arseniev. They propose to include the project valued at $14.5 million in the regional programme "Waste."
By words of vice mayor Mikhail Sobolev, there are no similar facilities in Russia nor recommendations for their construction. There are four such plants being currently designed in Ukraine. It is expected that investments for the plant in Arseniev will be provided by an Austrian firm, represented by its Ukrainian intermediary Ukr-Investbud.
The Ukrainians are ready to develop all project documentation if Arseniev pays for the design. The Austrian company, whose name is not divulged, will supply equipment, provide maintenance services, spare parts and have the right to sell the plant's produce. Should this project be implemented, Arseniev will have up to 350 new job places and $1.5 million of tax take annually. However, the city has to provide about 45 million rubles for developing design documentation, which accounts for one-third of its budget. - Tatiana KUROCHKINA.
109 FAMILIES RECEIVED MORTGAGE LOANS
A roundtable attended by the regional administration's Economic Development Committee chairman Vyacheslav Andreyev, mortgage agency "Our Home is Primorye" and realtors focused on prospects for developing mortgage loans in Primorsky Krai.
By Andreyev's words, the purpose of this programme is to provide comfortable housing for the general public in Primorye. Loans terms will same for all population groups.
JSC Our Home is Primorye director general Marina Lomakina informed that 109 families have already received loans for a total of 64 million rubles. More than 100 families have been qualified for getting loans and are looking for suitable apartments. The roundtable stated that the mortgage loan system allows inject personal monies to the regional economy. Our Home is Primorye plans to extend coverage to the whole territory of Primorsky Krai and for that purpose sets up branches in rural areas. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.
PRICES FOR HOUSING GREW 50%-100% IN VLADIVOSTOK
Prices for second-hand housing in Vladivostok have grown 1.5-2 times during last two years.
Realty prices have grown by 20% on average during 9 months of this year. Vladivostok ranks Russia's third in terms of realty price growth rate, following Moscow and St. Petersburg.
In terms of per-square-meter price, most expensive apartments are bed-sitters ('gostinka') and one-room flats, as this type of dwellings is in highest demand. The price for one-room flat has grown from $13-15,000 to $22-25,000 since recently. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.
CHINESE WILL PAN GOLD IN 2004
Prospectors teams of Jewish Autonomous Oblast produced 162 kg of gold in 2003, which is nearly twice more than about 85 kg a year ago.
Prospectors team Zolotaya Sutara was producing gold in Obluchensky Raion. A license for gold production in the watershed of Berezovaya River, Oktyabrsky Raion, was obtained in early 2003 by a Chinese company from Heilonjiang Province. However, because of restrictions caused by the SARS epidemic, Chinese nationals could not enter Russia and were unable to complete early works. They will start panning gold in 2004 and plan to produce 100-150 kg, says spokesman for the government of Jewish Autonomous Oblast. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.
RUSSIAN, SOUTH KOREAN NAVAL HYDROGRAPHERS WILL UNDERTAKE JOINT STUDY
Hydrographers of the Russian Pacific Fleet and South Korean Navy will undertake joint oceanographic works in the Sea of Japan in 2004.
As PacFleet spokesman informs, an agreement that the expedition will be carried on board of one of its hydrographic vessels was reached during a visit to Vladivostok of a group of specialists from the South Korean Navy and South Korean Oceanographic Research Institute. - Yevgeny ITAROV.
100 ECONOMIC AND TAX CRIMES REGISTERED IN FAR EAST
A new law enforcement agency for the economic and tax spheres has been in process of establishment in the Far East since last July.
Though it is not fully manned yet, the agency has launched over 100 criminal investigations, said Gen. Lt. Anatoly Zolotarev. Head of the Interior Affairs Ministry's Far Eastern Office at a press conference in Khabarovsk.
More than 1,500 criminal cases have been opened in the fishing sector since year's beginning, with over 100,000 tons of fish and 130 tons of caviar confiscated. 130 kg of illegal gold was seized. The number of criminal cases over illegal timber exports has grown times on the previous year. - Yevgeny ITAROV.
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