Moskovsky Komsomolets
Russian government announces new privatizations
The Russian government has unveiled plans to expand privatization of the largest state companies by 2017. The government will retain only a golden share, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov's secretariat announced. A golden share is a nominal share retained by the government body responsible for the privatization of state enterprises. It gives the government body the decisive vote in shareholders meetings for a certain period of time. It does not, however, entitle the government to ownership.
Proposals for the sale of government-owned stakes in large companies have been prepared in line with instructions the president issued after the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Mr. Shuvalov has submitted the report to Dmitry Medvedev.
The government considers 2017 an expedient deadline for the total privatization (golden share aside) of the following companies’ authorized capital – shipping company Sovcomflot, Sheremetyevo International Airport, the federal grid company INTER RAO UES, VTB Bank, United Grain Company, and the energy companies RusHydro and Rosneft (starting in 2012 for the latter two). The privatization of oil company Zarubezhneft has stalled pending negotiation of international treaties to which the company is party.
The privatization of the agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank and the agricultural equipment leasing company Rosagroleasing is also on the cards, especially given their functions in that sector. The privatization of the diamond mining company Alrosa will also use a golden share and share sales will be coordinated with the current owner, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), with funds equal to the proceeds of the privatization to be allocated for infrastructure development in the republic. Aeroflot – Russian Airlines will also be privatized but will retain flag carrier status.
There are also proposals, in the 2012-2017 timeframe, to downsize the government’s stakes in United Shipbuilding Corporation and United Aircraft Corporation to controlling stakes (50% +1 share), and down to 75% plus one share in machine-building company Uralvagonzavod, Russian Railways, electricity transmission company FGC UES, and oil pipeline company Transneft.
The report to the president also mentions the decision to privatize the company formed through the merger of telecoms concerns Svyazinvest and Rostelecom, using a golden share while maintaining availability of telecoms networks for government use.
Kommersant
Protests against high fuel prices throughout Russia
Protests against high fuel prices were held in 18 Russian cities on Thursday, including at Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square and Leningradskoye Shosse. The protests were organized by The Interregional Trade Union of Drivers. The organizers demanded that the government cut prices or they will disrupt the upcoming elections.
Protesters at Bolotnaya Square were issued whistles to express their displeasure with the current gas pricing policy. Andrei Nagibin, leader of the Spravedlivost business trade union, told the protesters there that “Growing grain transportation costs will affect everyone.”
“Taxes and excise duties make up 60% of the price you pay at the pump, and the profits of Russian oil companies are twice as high as in other countries,” said Alexander Kotov, the head of the trade union of professional drivers.
Sergei Mironov, the leader of A Just Russia political party, asked why fuel costs so much if Russia is one of the world’s largest oil producers, and proposed adding an article to the Criminal Code on collusion to raise fuel and lubricant prices.
The protesters say AI-92 (regular) gas should cost 18 rubles ($0.65) and AI-95 (premium) 20 rubles ($0.72) per liter.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has, on several occasions, criticized officials for failure to prevent the growth of fuel prices, but this has not helped.
Demonstrators said they would tell every driver not to vote for the current authorities if they fail to do something about gas prices.
Meanwhile, about 20 vans and trucks, escorted by traffic police, gathered at Rechnoi Vokzal metro station on Leningradskoye Shosse. Andrei Bolotov, who organized that demonstration, said they would drive as far as the railway line outside of Moscow, turn back to the MKAD ring road and then split up.
The convoy stayed to the right, as they honked and drove slowly using their hazard lamps. One of the drivers, Vadim, said: “Diesel fuel is actually the residue from the production of high-quality gasoline. Why then does it cost as much as regular gasoline?”
He said they could easily stop traffic in downtown Moscow but that this was not their goal. They only want the authorities to take note of their outrage. The convoy did not hinder traffic despite the evening rush hour.
In June, the Car Owners Federation wanted to hold a protest at the Kremlin, but its leader, Sergei Kanayev, was detained and the other participants were delayed by heavy traffic. Kanayev said on Thursday that they expect 130,000 people to attend the movement’s planned protest in September.
A similar action has been prohibited in St. Petersburg, where the police promised to detain protesters. In Kirov, protesters met at the regional government building, whereas the authorities in Kurgan prohibited the protest action.
“Half of the taxi drivers left when they learned about the ban,” said Valery Popov, head of the Urals Cossacks and an organizer of the protest in Kurgan. He said he had been warned of possible retribution if he attempted anything.
Moskovsky Komsomolets
Renewed police force keeps old athletes as ghost workers
The staff cuts and optimization in the Interior Ministry have not touched most of the athletes who are kept on the police payroll purely to bolster their bosses’ credentials.
These “officers” are generally exempt from service, their only job being to compete in interdepartmental sports events. Some compete several times a year; others are only used for the annual Garden Ring police relay race.
At the same time, they are entitled to the generous police compensation package which includes bonuses and free transportation to desirable vacation destinations.
Since this practice hardly legal, there is no official statistics on the number of these athletes. Only a few make it into the national teams. Others are over 20 years old, which means if they haven’t already joined a national team they would have to leave sport and find employment like everybody else.
Getting into the police force means they can continue doing sports, and don’t have to worry about getting a regular job. Police bosses are happy to hire them, exempt from service, and keep them on like prize Arabian racehorses in their stables.
Their department takes credit for their achievements and they are used to prove to even more senior management, that the department boasts a high level of physical fitness. In reality, apart from the “racehorses” this level is extremely low: at best five policemen out of 20 are able to pass their annual running, shooting and chin-up tests.
A Moscow police source shared some unofficial statistics on condition of anonymity. “A 2009 inspection revealed some 50 “ghost” policemen in the North-Eastern Police Department. They were transferred out and hired back six months later. They are track and field athletes, skiers, cyclists, shooters and martial art experts. It’s a full house when they all come in twice a year” he said.
With their less than legal status, police athletes often have part of their wages extorted from them by corrupt bosses. Some give up all the money, retaining only their police ID and record.
Some perform at other security agencies’ competitions to earn extra cash. “Last year, they were given 5,000 rubles ($180) for one race,” the source said.
Interdepartmental competitions are aimed at supporting and promoting physical fitness among police and other security officers. But the reality is very different. Just study the records of the Moscow police championships. They are naïve enough to disclose the truth that police bosses are trying so hard to hide. The results are obviously too high for amateurs, even physically fit, and closer to those seen at national championships. Performing at that level requires several hours of training a day.
There is one curious fact: the Zelenograd police always come last in city competitions because that department takes the principled stance of sending regular officers, not athletes, to compete.
Apart from that, police bosses spend taxpayers’ money to keep their "racehorses", and the recent reappraisal in the police force has changed nothing.
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