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Issue 8 (under contract DE-AC01-01NN40251 between the Analytical Center for Non-proliferation and the U.S. Department of Energy under the auspices of the Nuclear Cities Initiative) Abstract The work has been done under the contract between the Analytical Center for Non-proliferation at VNIIEF-RFNC and the U.S. Department of Energy within the auspices of the Nuclear Cities Initiative. Contents The 80-th Anniversary of Andrey Sakharov's Birth IV Conference on the History of Nuclear Weapons Development International Cooperation of RFNC-VNIIEF Demographic Situation Exchange Rate of the Ruble in the Second Quarter of 2001 Population Employment Wages Taxes Collected in the First Half-Year of 2001 Public Health Services Education News of Sarov Physics and Technology Institute News of Culture Capital Construction Crime and Law Offences in the First Half-Year of 2001 Results of the ISTC activities in RFNC-VNIIEF in 2000 Business Page. News of Sarovbusinessbank Juridical Page. In the State Duma of the Russian Federation In the City Duma of Sarov Thermal and Electric Energy Tariffs in Sarov Prices for the Main Foodstuffs at the End of the Second Quarter of 2001 News in Minatom of Russia News of conversion On Elections of Nizhni Novgorod Governor Our Region News of Closed Cities of Minatom of the Russian Federation Orthodox Church in Sarov. "Ecclesiastical Heritage of Sarov" Conference Miscellaneous A few measures were taken in Sarov to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of Andrey Dmitrievich Sakharov's birth including the scientific and technical council of VNIIEF held in the Club of Scientists on May 21, 2001. The exposition called "Andrei Sakharov. The years classified as secret" attracted attention of the council participants. The similar exhibition was arranged in VNIIEF Museum of Nuclear Weapons. The RFNC-VNIIEF director R.I.Ilkayev selected a member of the board of guardians of the museum in Nizhni Novgorod named after A.D.Sakharov took the initiative in sending this exposition copy to this city. The citizens of Nizhni Novgorod will for the first time see the biographic materials of this scientist that relate to the Sarov period of his life in 1950 - 1969. In the last interview published in the Zvezda magazine in November of 1990 Andrey Sakharov asked by this magazine contributor to evaluate the scientific nuclear weapon activities said: "We proceeded from the fact that this work is practically the war for peace. We worked at full strain and acted courageously... With the passage of time my position changed in many respects, I reevaluated many things, but nevertheless I do not feel regrets for this initial stage of activities where my colleagues and I participated so actively...". The new exposition contains some information about Sakharov's genealogy. His great-grandfather was a priest (an archpriest) in Arzamas city. His grandfather was a priest in the suburb of Arzamas called Vyezdnoye. The exhibition elucidates the period of his scientific activities in Sarov and the period of his right protection activities. It includes new declassified materials and uncommon photographs taken from the Moscow Sakharov¢s archives and sent to Sarov. The creative potential of Andrey Sakharov was not confined to defense efforts. The exhibition also displays the materials pertaining to Sakharov's ideas on producing super-high magnetic fields. In 1999 VNIIEF associates were awarded the State prize for the results generated in this scientific area. The museum in Nizhni Novgorod was also presented with the video film made by VNIIEF video studio and dedicated to Sakharov's anniversary. From April 23 to April 27, 2001 the fourth conference on the history of nuclear weapons development was held in RFNC-VNIIEF. The idea of holding conferences dedicated to the history of nuclear weapons making and testing in the USSR was suggested by Academician Yevgeny Negin, former director of RFNC-VNIIEF. The previous three conferences held in Sarov (in 1992 and 1996) and in Snezhinsk (in 1998) covered the period from 1945 to 1976. The fourth conference was related to the period from 1977 to 1990. More than 200 experts participated in the conference. The delegations representing nuclear industry enterprises of Ural and Moscow attended this conference. The steering committee received applications for submitting 144 papers. They were put in by 9 organizations of Minatom and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. All the papers will be published in the conference proceedings. 93 papers were approved for oral presentation. This was the first time when a part of papers was discussed at a private conference session closed for a wide public attendance. As Stanislav Voronin, chief designer of RFNC-VNIIEF, noted in his presentation, the time period under consideration had sprouts for many promising developments of new high-technology arms. The United States very often being the initiator of this process launched the Star Wars program. In those years we were struggling to preserve the strategic parity and we solved this problem successfully although not without difficulties. Academician Viktor Mikhailov, scientific leader of RFNC-VNIIEF, underlined the need for sharing the experience of predecessors with young people through making various information editions, reference books and manuals. The fifth conference covering the period to 2000 inclusive and concluding the series of conferences on development of nuclear weapons is to be held in the future. In the second quarter of 2001 RFNC-VNIIEF delegations paid 63 visits abroad (in the first quarter of 2001 there were 34 visits). They visited 18 countries of the world (8 countries in the first quarter). 173 persons were the members of these delegations (95 persons in the first quarter). Of the countries often visited by the institute associates the USA holds the lead. 17 visits of RFNC-VNIIEF delegations with the total number of 71 persons were made there (18 visits and 55 persons in the first quarter of 2001). In addition, the institute works in systematic scientific and technical cooperation with Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland. The number of exchanges with CIS countries (Ukraine, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan) and the East European countries (Bulgaria, Poland) is increasing. New countries participating in scientific and technical exchanges have appeared (Finland, Canada, Ireland, Singapore).
 Visits of RFNC-VNIIEF specialists abroad in the second quarter of 2001  Visits of RFNC-VNIIEF delegations to some foreign countries in 2001
 Visits of foreign delegations to RFNC-VNIIEF in the second quarter of 2001  Visits from some foreign countries to RFNC-VNIIEF in 2001 In the second quarter the number of foreign delegations that visited RFNC-VNIIEF increased (19 delegations consisting of 76 specialists compared to 12 delegations and 55 specialists in the first quarter). The representatives from 10 countries of the world visited Sarov in the second quarter of 2001.
Visits of RFNC-VNIIEF delegations abroad in the second quarter of 2001
As of July 1, 2001 the total population in Sarov was 86,091 persons.
Death and birth rates per thousand of Sarov citizens
The tendency towards increase in the population of employable and pension age and decrease in the number of children was still retained. The analysis of death reasons shows that diseases of the blood circulation system remain the main death reasons. They are followed by oncological diseases and those caused by injuries, poisoning, etc. Below the changes in the exchange rate of the ruble in the second quarter of 2001 are characterized based on the official data introduced by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
The average exchange rate of the ruble in the second quarter of 2001 was 28.99 rubles for one U.S. dollar, which is by 1.6% more than the average exchange rate in the first quarter of 2001.  Changes in the exchange rate of the ruble at the period from January to June of 2001 In the second quarter of 2001 the social and economic situation in the city remained stable despite abolition of the city investment zone (or the zone with preferential taxation of enterprises). The economy employed and economically active population remained at the level of the year beginning (52,000 persons by the end of the second quarter and 55,000 persons by the year beginning). The registered employment level had a tendency towards reduction: 620 persons (December 31, 2000) and 423 persons (June 29, 2001) - 1.13% and 0.8%, respectively. In the second quarter of 2001 372 persons applied to the employment department of Sarov for work (497 persons in the first quarter). In the same period 423 persons were declared unemployed (578 in the first quarter). The difference between the applicants and those actually recognized as unemployed is explained by the fact that the procedure of declaring a person jobless takes some time. Thus, some people who had applied to the employment department in the first quarter were officially registered jobless only in the second quarter.
The registered unemployed in Sarov by education level
125 persons were suggested getting vocational education (76 unemployed citizens in the first quarter). 170 persons completed education under various syllabuses (including those who had started their education in 2000), 119 persons were placed in jobs after training. In the first quarter of 2001 jobless citizens were trained in twelve specialties:
After the syllabuses had been revised, the average duration of vocational education reduced from 2.5 months in the first quarter of 2001 to two months in the second quarter. The longest term of education is three months (electric welder, secretary-reviewer, manager). The shortest term of education is one month (computer-aided accounting, a personal computer user). The average education cost for one person is:
In the second quarter of 2001 the maximum monthly wages is Sarov were paid to scientific and technical workers. It made up 1.64 average city wages. The minimum wage was paid to employees of public associations. Their wage constituted 0.31 average wage. Thus, the ratio between the maximum and minimum wages classified according to the economy branches was 5.15 in the second quarter of 2001 (in the previous quarter this ratio was equal to 3.12).
In the first half-year of 2001 the average monthly wage in Sarov made up 4137 rubles (142.7 dollars). In June the average wage compared with May increased by 5%, which is mainly explained by a seasonal factor, that is by the period of vacation.  Sarov average monthly wages in rubles by industry  Sarov average monthly wages in dollars by industry As of July 1, 2001, 1839 enterprises and 2287 private entrepreneurs were registered at the Sarov Inspection of the Ministry for Taxes and Levies (MTL). The main portion of taxpayers as legal entities falls within the enterprises having a private form of property (80.4%). The main portion of tax payments in the consolidated budget of Sarov (54.9 %) (including 43 % collected in the federal budget) falls within the enterprises having mixed and private property forms.
Tax revenue
The general economic situation in the city is determined by the fact that on January 1, 2001 the mechanism of providing tax benefits to the enterprises registered in the investment zone of Sarov was cancelled and in addition all the taxes and levies stopped entering the city budget revenues. Two budget levels for remitting taxes and levies were established in Sarov. They are federal and local budgets. Distribution of the revenues entering the federal and local budgets is governed by article 52 of Federal Law No. 150-~3 "On the federal budget in 2001" dated 27.12.2000. The total revenues entering the federal and local budgets make up a consolidated budget of Sarov.   Distribution of Sarov enterprises by the property forms Payments collected in the consolidated budget in the first half-year of 2001 were mostly provided by the value-added tax (25 %), the tax on profit (24.8 %), the tax on incomes of natural persons (22 %) and the road overhaul tax (10.3 %). The federal budget revenue in the first half-year of 2001 was mainly formed by two types of taxes: the value-added tax (64.2 %) and the tax on profit (20.2 %). The actual revenues in the federal budget exceed the target figures by 5.7 %.  Distribution of the Sarov consolidated budget allocations in the federal and local budgets by tax type The main portion of all the taxes collected in the local budget was provided by paying the tax on profit (27.8 %), the tax on incomes of natural persons (35.9 %), the property tax (10.9 %), the road overhaul tax (17.2 %). In the first half-year of 2001 62.1 % of the revenues expected in 2001 entered the local budget. In the first half-year of 2001 as in the first quarter of the same year the share of the total aggregate taxes collected in the federal budget falls within the state and municipal enterprises and comprises 57 %.
 Distribution of taxes collected in the federal budget in the first half-year of 2001 by tax type and property form Tax and non-tax payments collected in the federal budget in the first half-year of 2001 by tax type in comparison with the target figures
Tax and non-tax payments collected in the local budget in the first half-year of 2001 by tax type in comparison with the target figures
 Let us analyze the taxes collected in the first half-year of 2001 by the economy branches and tax status.
According to article 15 of the RF Tax Code, the local taxes and levies in force on the territory of Sarov are as follows:
 Local taxes collected in the budget of Sarov (thousand rubles) As of July 1, 2001, the indebtedness of tax payments and tax sanctions and fines was estimated at 230,699 thousand rubles. The tax debts amounted to 155,217 thousand rubles. The penalty and fine debts made up 75,482 thousand rubles, which comprised 32.4 % of the total tax collection in the budgets of all levels (consolidated budget) in the first half-year of 2001. For comparison, we give the table characterizing the ration between the amount of taxes collected in the budget and the amount of payment debts.
If compulsory payments into the budget are delayed, the RF MTL Inspection Service of Sarov takes forced debt collection measures specified in the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. In particular, in the first half-year of 2001 188 tax and levy payment requests to the total sum of 76,891 thousand rubles were sent to the enterprises. 118 orders of collection to the sum of 28,727 thousand rubles were issued to accounts of taxpayers. One resolution was passed on imposing property penalties to the sum of 400 thousand rubles. The tax bodies arrested the property of debtors estimated at 1859 thousand rubles. The materials on 643 enterprises having not handed in the accounting reports to the RF MTL Inspection Service of Sarov were sent to the tax investigation department to search for the managers of these enterprises. The materials on 112 private entrepreneurs who had gone through the state registration, but neither appeared in the tax body nor received Individual Taxpayer Numbers (ITPN) were also sent to the tax investigation department.
 Sources of funds and expenses of Sarov medical institutions in 2000 1 - city budget funds used for all kinds of social aid and economic maintenance including equipment purchase; 2 - fund of compulsory medical insurance; 3 - paid services; 4 - federal budget funds used for health protection of people working at the basic enterprises of ZATO.  Structure of expenses 1 - pay for the medical personnel labor; 2 - resources for economic and other expenses; 3 - equipment purchase; 4 - purchase of medical supplies; 5 - pay for meals of hospital patients.  Qualification of Sarov doctors  Changes in the age structure of medical workers in recent years
Results of polling the patients who attended polyclinic #1
Results of periodic preventive medical examination of children in 2000
In 2000-2001 school-year there were 18 secondary schools providing general education in Sarov including 1 Lyceum, 2 gymnasiums, the secondary boarding school #1, the correctional boarding school #9, the secondary evening school and institutions of supplementary education. At the end of the school-year 13,326 pupils studied at the schools providing general education. In 2000 - 2001 1,156 pupils finished their nine-year education, 904 pupils left schools after studies for 11 years. Among them 16 persons were awarded gold medals for their progress in studies, silver medals were awarded to 39 persons . In 2000 78.1% of all school-leavers of the city entered higher educational institutions. Schoolchildren from Sarov participated in the 27-th All-Russian contest in mathematics and in the 35-th All-Russian contest in physics. In the first contest participants from Sarov ranked first, second and third among all schoolchildren of the eighth grade. They occupied the second place among nine-grade pupils and came third among the pupils studying in the tenth and eleventh grades. Sarov schoolchildren of the eleventh grade headed the list in the second competition and came third among the pupils of the ninth and tenth grades. In 2000-2001 school year 8 participants of the Russian regional contest and 8 participants of the Russian contest from Sarov were declared prize winners. Last year there were 8 prize winners, respectively. From 256 Sarov teachers 50 were conferred a top category qualification, 130 of them were given the first category and the second category was conferred upon 67 teachers. The Sarov Physics and Technology Institute (SarFTI) offers students full-time and evening forms of tuition.Full-time (day) form of tuition: 1. Department of information technologies and electronics. It has 75 vacancies financed from the state budget and additional vacancies with full reimbursement of specialized tuition expenses:
2. Economic and mathematical department. Students are taken with full reimbursement of specialized tuition expenses:
3. Polytechnic school of SarFTI. Full-time specialized tuition with full reimbursement of expenses:
1. Department of information technologies and electronics. Specialty: "Design and technology of radio electronic facilities". The term of tuition is 6 years. 25 vacancies are financed from the state budget and additional vacancies provide for full reimbursement of tuition expenses. 2. Economic and mathematical department. Specialty: "Finances and credit". 25 vacancies are financed from the state budget and additional vacancies provide for full reimbursement of tuition expenses 3. Polytechnic of SarFTI. Specialty: "Economics, accounting and control". The tuition term is 2 years and 10 months. Full reimbursement of tuition expenses. Specialty: "Radio instruments making". 20 vacancies are financed from the state budget. The tuition term is 3 years and 10 months. Specialty: "Software of computer facilities and information systems". 20 vacancies are financed from the state budget. The tuition term is 3 years and 10 months. In June of 2001 the Sarov Physics and Technology Institute and Nizhni Novgorod State Linguistic University (NGLU) named after N.A. Dobrolyubov signed the agreement in Nizhni Novgorod on launching a new program in Sarov. The aim of this program is to provide the second higher education and to train specialists to be skilled as "A translator in the sphere of professional communication". According to this agreement terms, most of the lectures are to be delivered by NGLU lecturers. In the first half-year of 2001 the Department of Culture organized and conducted the city festivals and cultural social events. About 40,000 people attended them. The city festivals were dedicated to:
The city museum, the exhibition hall and the arts salon displayed the personal works of such painters as S. Korotkov from Saransk, V. Khazov from Nizhni Novgorod, A. Zelentsov and I. Soldatenkov from Sarov and arranged expositions "Sarov Style", "Melody of Laces" "The Third Millennium with Children¢s Eyes", "Normandy - Neman", "Being Free in the Heaven", "Erzya¢s Heirs" taken from the funds of Nizhni Novgorod University museum and private collections. Two exhibitions arranged within the holiday of culture in Sarov were displayed in the State Duma. In the first half-year of 2001 the capital construction investments amounted to 188,078 thousand rubles. They exceeded the capital investments of the first half-year of 2000 expressed in money terms of each year by a factor of 1.3. Of them 52% were made up by the city budget funds, 18% were taken from the federal budget, 24% were the funds of the "Dwelling on credit" program, 6% were the population resources. In the first half-year of 2001 98.4 million rubles or over 50% of the resources were spent for housing construction. 9,102.9 square meters of the total living area (97 apartments) were put into service, 3,987.5 square meters being put into operation under the "Dwelling on credit" program. In addition, the following new facilities were built in the city using the funds of enterprises and individual businessmen:
The funds allocated for construction of a new children¢policlinic were 1.6 times more than those used in the first half-year of 2000. 9.3 million rubles were spent for the educational facilities, which is 4.6 times more than in the first half-year of 2000. News of the City Construction Complex Summer is the hottest time for the city builders, that is why construction operations were in full swing in the second quarter of 2001. Bricks were being laid day by day on the second and third floors of five-storied building ? 39. It was ready for installing inside communications and heating systems in October. The "Stroiindustry-service" company was responsible for its construction. House 1 in Zernov street also built by the "Stroiindustry-service" company was made ready for installing metal structures and laying inside and outside communications. Besides, "Stroiindustry-service" was responsible for assembling foundation blocks at the site of a new kindergarten to be built in district ? 15. Assembly of outside and heat networks was completed in new district ? 21 (in Zernov street) where several multi-storied houses having improved layout and erected under the "Dwelling on credit" program will rise this year. The citizens building individual cottages in TIZ (TIZ is the "Association of persons building their own houses", the settlement of individual houses) celebrated the long-expected event - the first phase of water supply operations was over. The operations connected with leading water supply lines up to the new city water intake facility were coming to an end. The asphalt concrete plant (ACP) finished assembly of a new dust collecting system. The level of the spent gases purification using highly efficient Italian equipment will make up 99.99%. Now, the forest atmosphere in the vicinity of ACP will be much purer, which will have a wholesome health effect on the citizens living in the old part of the city. The work fulfilled by the Internal Affairs Directorate (IAD) of Sarov and aimed at maintaining public order and preventing crime is organized according to the plans of IAD operational and official actions made for the coming six months and meetings chaired by the IAD head. The dynamics and structure of the crime in Sarov look as follows.
The total crime detection level increased by 8.8% and made up 70.3%. The detection level of public security offences accounted for 98.3% (+2.3%), the level of offences disclosed by the criminal militia bodies comprised 61.1% (4.4%). Large-scale preventive operations such as "Investigation", "Dope", "Flat", "Arsenal", "Storm-Anti-terror" were actively used to prevent, to stop and to detect crimes. The 7-th stage of the "Storm-Anti-terror" operation carried out during 14 days (from March 19 to April 7, 2001) detected 105 crimes, 71 of which were detected "hot on the trail". Over 1200 persons were detained for administrative offences. 53 cases of illegal drug circulation were disclosed and registered, 15 of them were connected with drug sales. After the department responsible for prevention consumer market offences and observance of the administrative legislation had been set up, the activities in this sphere were intensified. 35 cases of practising deception on buyers were revealed (4 cases in 2000). 263 violations of trade rules were entered on the administrative records (there were 258 records in 2000). In the first half-year of 2001 the courts examined 204 criminal cases 184 persons were convicted. 41 persons were sentenced to imprisonment, 143 persons were sentenced without imprisonment.
Road accidents
Violations of the Traffic regulations
The program of financing scientific and technical efforts of RFNC-VNIIEF scientists through the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) has been carried out for seven years. Over this period of time the major part of the scientists previously involved in defense matters could apply their knowledge and experience to various projects related to such problems as nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, extermination of chemical weapons, ecology, biology, outer space, problems of the fuel and energy complex, numerous aspects of modern physics.
980 Russian scientists from various scientific research, defense and academic institutions of the Russian Federation were involved in 33 projects. Of interest are the statistical data on the executed projects: the amounts of funds vary within 8 - 654 thousand dollars, the number of participants in one project varies from 1 person from RFNC-VNIIEF to the team of 73 persons from 8 different institutions of Russia, the average project funds range within 200 - 350 thousand dollars allocated for 2 - 3 years. The criteria used for selection of projects for the purpose of funding are rather severe: from 80 applications made in 2000 only 33 projects reached the concrete financing stage. Besides, there were 30 audits in RFNC-VNIIEF in 2000. International teams of auditors took part in them. The Japanese, the Americans, the French, the Dane worked as auditors together with the Russians. The aims of the audits were as follows:
Meeting of the Governing Board On June 28, 2001 the Governing Board heard the account made by the Chairman of Sarovbusinessbank Administration Board V.D. Dimitrov of the bank five-month activities. The bank capital increased up to 377 million rubles. The balance currency exceeded 2 billion 366 million rubles. The amount of the population deposits increased by more than 1.5 times and made up 158 million rubles. The bank profit made for five months amounted to about 50 million rubles (for comparison, it was 55 million rubles for the whole previous year). The number of Sarovbusinessbank¢s customers also increases dynamically: at this period 900 natural persons and 280 legal entities and private entrepreneurs became this bank¢s customers. The Governing Board noted successful implementation of the trial plastic project of Sarovbusinessbank and concluded on advisability of a full-scale project initiation. The Governing Board of Sarovbusinessbank took the decision to set up its sixth branch in Vologda city. On Amending the RF Criminal Code On May 17, 2001 the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed the Law "On amending article 355 of the RF Criminal Code" (federal law # 84-FZ, was signed by President and came into force on June 19, 2001). From now on article 355 of the RF Criminal Code has the following formulation: "Article 355. Development, production, build-up, purchase or sale of mass destruction weapons. Development, production, build-up, purchase or sale of chemical, bacteriological, toxicological and other types of mass destruction weapons prohibited by the International treaty of the Russian Federation are punished with imprisonment for the term of 5-10 years". On Permitting Import of the Spent Nuclear Fuel to the Russian Federation On June 6, 2001 the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted Resolution # 1569 III - GD on passing the federal law "On amending article 50 of the RSFSR Law called "On the environment protection" that allows import to the RF of the spent nuclear fuel for its storage and reprocessing. After its approval by the Soviet of Federation and signing by President of the Russian Federation the law will come into force. Provided a fortunate market conjuncture, this will allow Russia to expect about twenty billion dollars paid for storage and reprocessing of the spent nuclear fuel from foreign NPPs. The gained resources will be used for development of the required infrastructure as well as for solution of federal and regional problems including the ecology and conversion issues of the nuclear weapon complex facilities. On Approving the Statute "On the Order and Terms of Granting Gratuitous Subsidies" On April 19, 2001 the City Duma of Sarov approved the Statute "On the order and terms of granting gratuitous subsidies". According to this Statute, a gratuitous subsidy for a dwelling construction or purchase may be granted to the permanent inhabitants of Sarov who are in need of improving their living conditions and are on the books in the city Administration. A subsidy may be used by citizens as they wish:
A granted subsidy comprises 5 - 70 percent of the average market cost of a dwelling construction or purchase. A subsidy is granted only in a cashless way. A bank authorized person transfers money to the account of the dwelling construction organization or to the seller of habitable premises. The purchased dwelling is registered as a common share property of all the family members having got a subsidy. Subsidies for construction or purchase of dwellings are granted to citizens according to the made and approved lists and established priorities. The top priority subsidies are granted to the following citizens:
In late June of 2001 the following thermal and electric energy tariffs were effective in Sarov.
*) For translation the average exchange rate making up 29.11 rubles per one US$ in June of 2001 was used. We note that the state unitary enterprise "Energoupravlenie of RFNC-VNIIEF" is the producer, the owner of networks and the seller of thermal and electric energy in Sarov. The centralized system makes it possible to concentrate resources for large-scale projects - equipment maintenance and renewal, implementation of new projects and annual repair of nine kilometers of heat networks. Contrary to Sarov, production and thermal energy transmission operations in Nizhni Novgorod are divided and thermal energy tariffs are the sum of producer and transmitter tariffs. This leads to the fact that the payments for thermal and electric energy made by a consumer at the administrative center of Nizhni Novgorod are 1.5-2.5 times more than in Sarov.
Visit of the Deputy Chairman of the RF Government Victor Khristenko to Kalininskaya NPP On April 20 the Deputy Chairman of the RF Government Victor Khristenko made an official visit to Kalininskaya NPP. The purpose of his trip was to view completion of power unit ?3 which is at the stage of a high construction readiness level. Victor Khristenko appreciated a high rate of activities aimed at putting into service of this facility which is so important for power engineering of the North-Western region. In his words, commissioning of power unit ? 3 is specified in the program for power engineering development in Russia and is planned for the fall-winter of 2003. After this visit the Deputy Chairman of the RF Government had a meeting with the Minister for Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation A.Yu. Rumyantsev, the administration of "Rosenergoatom", the representatives of Gasprom, the Ministry of economic development, the Russian stock company "Unified Energy System of Russia" and the leaders of Tver region. At the press conference held after the meeting Victor Khristenko noted that commissioning of Rostovskaya NPP means the end of the "atomic pause" and there is no alternative to atomic power engineering. Power unit ?3 of Kaliniskaya NPP is to be put into operation next. The RF Government is planning to allocate 3,280 million rubles for its completion and these funds have been already included in the investment part of the tariff. Kaliniskaya NPP is the basic taxpayer in Tver region. Construction of power unit ?3 that was 70% ready was actually stopped in the early 90s. Session of the Collegium of RF Minatom On May 29 a regular session of the Collegium of RF Minatom was held. The Minister A. Rumyantsev sat in the chair. "On extending the service life of power units at NPPs having first-generation reactors" was on the agenda. Currently, Russia is operating 29 power units at nine NPPs whose total electric power is 21,242 MW. In 5 years ahead the design service life of seven power units at the first-generation NPPs is coming to an end:
The 30-year service life specified in design documents reflects only the level of its design substantiation basis, but not its physical wear. Since the term of moral wear in power engineering is great, there is an objective possibility for extending the service life of the first-generation NPPs by 10 years and over (up to 40 years). By extending the service life of power units at the first-generation NPPs the operating organization gets the opportunity for both preserving the generating capacities and for creating a valuable fund of NPP power units put out of operation. Press Conference Dedicated to the Last Half-Year Activities of the Concern Enterprises was Held in the "Rosenergoatom" Concern For six months of 2001 nuclear power plants of Russia generated 66.5 billion kWh of electric energy. The federal plan for electric energy generation by nuclear power plants of Russia was fulfilled by 107.8%. Nuclear power plants underproduced 3.3 billion kWh compared with their rated capacity. The average selling rate of NPPs of Russia made up 206 rubles for a thousand kWh. By July 1, 2000 the volume of the salable produce (electric energy of NPPs of Russia, "Rosenergoatom" concern services) amounted to 20,854 million rubles or 153%. At the period from January to July of 2001 the total level of payment for the sold electric energy and "Rosenergoatom" concern services was no more than 89% including 74% of money and equal resources (15,459 million rubles). This means that one of the main tasks of "Rosenergoatom" concern in the second half-year of 2001 is again a 100% salable produce payment level necessary for purchase of nuclear fuel, planned maintenance of NPPs, reconstruction operations and putting into service of new power units. In the future it will allow the required growth of electric energy generation and its secure supply to consumers. Capital investments spent for atomic power engineering in the first half-year comprised 100.4%. In particular, "reconstruction, technical re-equipment and updating of power units" constituted 131.5% of capital investments, "implementation of measures aimed at extending the life of power units" - 100%; "construction of power units having a high readiness level" - 97.4%. As of June 27, the debit indebtedness amounted to 27,571 million rubles (increased by 0.63% compared with the first half-year of 2000). The creditor indebtedness was 28,429 million rubles (decreased by 9.07% compared with the first half-year of 2000). The aggregate debts of the Russian stock company "UES of Russia" increased up to 14 billion rubles, which made up a half of the annual salable produce of the concern, that is for half a year all nuclear power stations operated almost free of charge. In February of 2001, the wage and Pension fund payment debts in atomic power engineering were cleared off. Nuclear power stations and "Rosenergoatom" concern reached a one hundred percent level of current tax payments in the federal budget. Answering the question concerning the future generation company, the executive director of "Rosenergoatom" concern Yu. Yakovlev said that the arguments of nuclear specialists given for creation of a unified generation company turned out to be more convincing. "Debate is over", he said. Visit of the RF Minister for Atomic Energy A.Yu. Rumyantsev to Beloyarskaya NPP On May 26 the RF Minister for Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev visited Beloyarskaya NPP. The operation of Beloyarskaya NPP in the first quarter of 2001 that ensured stable functioning of power unit ?3 and overfulfilment of the electric energy generation plan was estimated satisfactorily. At the meeting the construction state of power unit ?4 provided with BN-800 fast neutron reactor was reported to the Minister. The commission members visited a new power unit construction site. After the meeting it was decided to elaborate a plan for cooperative efforts of Minatom and the government of Sverdlovsk region aimed at making the fourth power unit of Beloyarskaya NPP. At the meeting with mass media representatives the RF Minister for Atomic Energy A. Rumyantsev, the deputy Minister B. Nigmatulin, the governor of Sverdlovsk region E. Rossel, the president of "Rosenergoatom" concern E. Pozdyshev and the director of Beloyarskaya NPP O. Saraev answered the journalists¢ questions. They pertained to construction of the fourth unit, to the prospects for development of fast neutron reactors according to the Strategy of atomic power engineering development in XXI century and a draft law on importing spent nuclear fuel. The possibilities for solution of ecological problems that in this connection might arise in the Ural region and philanthropic activities of Minatom were also discussed. On June 25 a Meeting Between the Minister of the Russian Federation for Atomic Energy A.Yu. Rumyantsev and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India Aiil Kakodhkar was Held The Ambassador of India to Russia S.K. Lambha participated in this meeting. In the course of the meeting the current state of affairs and the prospects for development of the Russian and Indian cooperation in peaceful application of atomic energy were discussed. It was noted that presently the main object of cooperation is the Indian Kudankulam NPP that is being constructed under the Russian project. In conformity with 1988 intergovernmental Agreement on cooperative efforts for nuclear power plant construction in India concluded between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Republic of India as well as 1988 Agreement on application of the Russian nuclear power plant delivery guarantees concluded between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Indian Government, Kudankulam NPP will be under the IAEA safeguards. The NPP will consist of two power units 1,000 MW each. Now, the NPP detail design is at its final development stage. The General construction contract was expected to be signed in September-October of this year. India was granted a concessional credit for the NPP construction. Light-water reactors with the total power of 10 GW are proposed to be constructed within the framework of the national program for the Indian power engineering development. The Indian Government hopes for participation in the Russian program. In particular, it looks forward to constructing additional NPP power units on the territory of India (up to six units in Kudankulam with the total cost of 8 - 9 billion US$). It also means to deliver natural uranium for Radjastan NPP that is under IAEA safeguards and to supply equipment for NPPs of India. Reception at the Minister The Chairman of the WANO Governing Board Z. Pate who paid a visit to Moscow had a meeting with the RF Minister for Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev. The RF Deputy Minister for Atomic Energy Bulat Nigmatulin, the president of "Rosenergoatom" concern E. Pozdyshev, the Chairman of the NPP WANO Governing Board of the Moscow center A. Ion, the director of the NPP WANO Moscow center F. Tukhvetov and the leaders and specialists of "Rosenergoatom" concern attended this meeting. In the course of the meeting the topical world and domestic power engineering problems were discussed. The Chairman of the WANO Governing Board acquainted the Minister Rumyantsev with the aims and objectives facing the WANO and the outcomes of this organization activities in 2000. Mr. Pate noted that the WANO is fulfilling a very important mission because nuclear safety of atomic power plants is a guarantee of future successful nuclear atom application. He also emphasized that operation performances of the Russian NPPs are up to the mark. In recent years they have a constant tendency towards improving. Minister Rumyantsev noted that Mr. Pate¢s active work within the association is highly efficient. "We appreciate all those recommendations you give the operating organizations", the Minister stated. "I believe that our cooperative efforts will produce a beneficial influence on further development of atomic power engineering". Alexander Rumyantsev extended special thanks to the WANO for the program of partner inspections according to which all NPPs of Russia will have been examined by 2002. This will undoubtedly increase still further their safety and efficiency. Meeting at Kurskaya NPP The course of power unit ?1 reconstruction activities and the state of affairs connected with construction of unit ?5 were the topic of the meeting held at Kurskaya NPP. The RF Minister for Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev, the deputy Minister Bulat Nigmatulin, the president of "Rosenergoatom" concern E. Pozdyshev, the executive director of "Rosenergoatom" concern Yu. Yakovlev, the head of Gosatomnadzor of Russia Yu. Vishnevsky, the chairman of the Kursk region government A. Sobolev, representatives of the RF Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated in it. Although a large scope of activities for reconstruction and updating of power unit ?1 has been done after concluding the Agreement between the RF Government and the European Bank for reconstruction and development, it is still being operated at 70% level of its rated capacity. Now, the second stage of the efforts started in 1998 and consisting of a more thorough safety estimation is coming to an end. After the report has been approved by Gosatomnadzor, operation of power unit ?1 will be permitted at the rated capacity level. The similar work is to be done on power unit ?2. This work is to be completed in 2004, whereupon the power unit capacity might be increased to 100%. The director of Kurskaya NPP Yuri Slepokon noted at the meeting that the share of Kurskaya NPP in production of electric energy in the Central Black Earth Region consisting of 9 areas is about 55% today. In the recent two years the volumes of industrial output have been increasing in this region and it will not be able to develop without electric energy production growth. The Agreement between the Kursk region administration and the RF Ministry for Atomic Energy was also signed within the framework of this visit. Rostovskaya NPP is Approaching the First Billion As of June 15, the total electric energy having been generated by power unit ?1 of Rostovskaya NPP since it entered the Unified Energy System of Russia made up 723 million kWh including 216.4 million kWh generated in June. The first power unit of Rostovskaya NPP is operating under experimental conditions at the capacity level making up 70% of the rated one. The electric turbo-generator power is 695 MW. There are no violations in its safe operation requirements. In early June a regular meeting of the permanent commission (PC) of the regional Legislative Assembly responsible for control over construction and operation of Rostovskaya NPP was arranged in Rostov-on-Don. Alexander Palamarchuk, the acting director of Rostovskaya NPP, made a detailed report on the course of power unit ?1 operations, on social guarantees to the population living in the thirty-kilometer area and prospects for the second power unit construction at Rostovskaya NPP. The PC members noted that Rostovskaya NPP is presently "the most transparent NPP in Russia". Full-Scale Meeting of the Board of the Union for Nuclear Power Engineering Territories and Enterprises A full-scale meeting of the Board of the Union for nuclear power engineering territories and enterprises was held in Minatom. It was attended by the RF Minister for Atomic Energy A. Rumyantsev and the deputy Minister B. Nigmatulin. At this meeting the regions were represented by a member of the Soviet of Federation G. Shirokonosov, the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Ulyanovsk region S. Ryabukhin, the deputy governor of Kursk region V. Trunov, the deputy head of Smolensk region N. Baklanov, the deputy governor of Chelyabinsk region G Podtesov, a member of the Soviet of Federation R. Abdulatipov. The governor of Saratov region and the president of the Union for nuclear power engineering territories and enterprises D. Ayatskov presided the meeting. The deputy RF Minister for Atomic Energy B. Nigmatulin noted a great importance of those bills that regulate import to Russia of foreign spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for its further storage and reprocessing. The proceeds of high technologies will be used for rehabilitation of the territories contaminated with radioactive substances left after production of atomic weapons and nuclear submarines. For this purpose about 5.5 billion dollars are required. Minatom proposes to earn this money using the knowledge and experience of the branch specialists. Today, only 1% of the required means is spent on these needs. Besides, not the budget funds are used, but the money made from the HEU-LEU contract. B. Nigmatulin emphasized that Minatom and atomic power engineering are the most important components of domestic economy and the key elements forming the Russian energy safety. In recent three years nuclear power plants have increased electric energy production from 104 to 130 billion kWh. Actually, 50% growth of consumption in 1999 and 2000 may be explained by increased electric energy generation by NPPs. Owing to operation of NPPs the country saved 39 billion cubic meters of gas last year. If nuclear power engineering develops in conformity with the rates specified in the long-term Strategy for nuclear power engineering development, nuclear technologies will replace 64 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2010. Multilateral International Exercises in Nuclear Accident Response JINEX 1 are Over The objective of these exercises was to test new forms of warning of abnormal situations, to consider the concepts of emergency response measures and to check the ability of international and national organizations to provide mass media with timely information. 48 countries participated in them. Each performed its own portion of operations to eliminate a hypothetical abnormal situation at one of the French NPPs. The entire information about these exercises was collected and processed by the Situation and Crisis Center of Minatom of Russia (SCC). The director of SCC Lieutenant-General V. Berchik said that "the personnel of all Minatom services responsible for the safety of the Russian atomic industry demonstrated a high level of readiness". B. Berchik emphasized that "the Russian atomic branch ranks second after Japan in the safety level of its atomic facilities". International organizations with the IAEA at the head had overall charge. Direct guidance was provided by the leaders of each participating country¢s national atomic branch. The results of international exercises will be summed up by IAEA in Vienna on September of 2001. "Power Engineering, Economics and Ecology - Truth and Fantasy" Such was the appellation of the round table conference held in the State Duma under the auspices of the all-Russian public movement "Ecological forum". Journalists from 18 regions of Russia as well as a deputy of the State Duma, the chairman of the Supreme ecological council of the State Duma, the president of the "Ecological forum" movement, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences R. Nigmatulin, the RF Minister for Atomic Energy, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences A. Rumyantsev, the first deputy Minister for natural resources of the Russian Federation A. Poryadin, the chairman of the State Duma committee for ecology V. Grachev, the chairman of the "Ecological forum" Executive Committee V. Lebedenko and other leading Russian scientists and specialists participated in this conference activities. Dr. Toevs Visited the Avangard Plant In mid-June the plant representatives met with Dr. James Toevs, the manager of the Nuclear Cities Initiative who represented the U.S. Los Alamos National Laboratory. The meeting was arranged at the Business Center of the Avangard plant. The plant was represented by specialists skillful in various areas, and the deputy director general Yury Zavalishin was the head of this delegation. The aim of the meeting was to discuss conversion efforts in such areas as creation of an up-to-date marketing and sales system, development and implementation of the quality control system ISO-9000, setting up of a civil-purpose engineering center, development and production of high-voltage elegas equipment for the information and control system of gas and oil industries, organization of the international cooperation and conversion center, taking safeguard measures on the future technopark territory separated from the plant. Other issues connected with cooperation and financing of conversion projects were also considered. The plant representatives responsible for their own task spoke on each of these topics. Representatives from VNIIEF cooperating with the Avangard plant under the auspices of the Nuclear Cities Initiative also took part in the meeting. As a result, the protocol was signed where the American party expressed its consent to sign and finance some conversion projects even in the current year. This, first of all, refers to the ISO-9000 quality system implementation projects, completion of operations for fencing off the future technopark territory, creation of a civil-purpose engineering center and the International Cooperation Center. The ways of solving the problems arising in the course of the Avangard plant cooperation with the U.S. representatives were also discussed. Successful cooperation depends on effective activities of both American and Russian parties. Renart-2000 Specialists of the Avangard plant have almost completed development of a new artificial kidney model "Renart-2000". It embodies the previous experience gained in creating facilities of this kind. Its experimental models will be made in the current year. Industrial production is to be started in 2002. Laparoscopic Equipment in Sarov In early June of 2001 the laparoscopic equipment assigned to Sarov within the conversion program "Nuclear cities initiative" was delivered to the storage facility of the rehabilitation Medical and Sanitary Center-50 (MSC-50). The equipment costs 135,000 US$. The first operation was performed by an American professor on July 17. The chief surgeon of the Federal Biological and Medical Agency N. Istomin performed the next operation. A laparoscopic center is to be created at MSC-50. On April 12 the Legislative assembly of Nizhni Novgorod region passed the resolution on calling the region governor elections on July 15, 2001. If none of the candidates won more than 50% of all votes on the first ballot, the second round of elections would take place in two weeks, that is on July 29. The necessary turn-out comprised 25%. The Legislative assembly introduced some new provisions in the Law "On Nizhni Novgorod governor elections". In particular, the notion "canvassing" was made more precise, the periodicals having been registered less than a year before elections were kept out of the electoral campaign. In mid-May the heads of the leading industrial enterprises of Nizhni Novgorod region appealed to the President¢s representative S. Kirienko to stop the flood of falsehood and libel in local mass media. A press conference was called on this occasion where the president of Nizhni Novgorod association of industrialists and entrepreneurs V. Luzyanin, the director general of the Association V. Tsybanev, the director general of "Nizhegorodskaya fair" company V. Bessarab were present. This appeal was also signed by such famous people as the president of "Norsi-Oil" company V. Vorobyov, the director general of "Nizhegorodsvyazinform" company V. Lyulin and the director general of the "Zavolzhsky motor plant" company A. Mineev. The statement said that the economic elite and intelligentsia of the region were concerned about the mass media situation. The candidates for Governor who controlled some newspapers, radio and TV companies of Nizhni Novgorod used them to slander their opponents and turned TV screens and newspaper pages into a dirty field of battle. In this connection the Association of industrialists and entrepreneurs was concerned about the reputation of Nizhni Novgorod region. The association of interparty forces was set up in Nizhni Novgorod region. The local branches of the "Unity", "Fatherland" organizations and the Union of Right forces were included in it. The aim of the interparty association named "KOMPAS" is to conduct a continuous dialogue between people and authorities. For this purpose the coalition will study the public opinion of Nizhni Novgorod region inhabitants of the most significant social problems. On May 22, the first reception-room of "KOMPAS" started working in Nizhni Novgorod. The city citizens may apply there with their questions and problems. Similar reception-rooms were also opened in some cities of the region including Sarov. On the eve of the governor elections the coalition members set themselves a task to collect mandates of the region inhabitants. Based on them, a "People¢s program" for a candidate for Governor of Nizhni Novgorod region will be made. The initiative group including the Director of RFNC-VNIIEF R.I. Ilkayev, the chairman of the union of theatrical workers of Nizhni Novgorod region V. Vikhrov, the general director of "Lazurite" design office N. Kvasha, the head of the local self-government in Kstovo region Yu. Lebedev, the rector of Lobachevsky Nizhni Novgorod University A. Khokhlov and others nominated the acting governor of Nizhni Novgorod region Ivan Sklyarov as a candidate for elections. By the end of the first election campaign stage (on May 30) 27 persons notified the regional election commission of their wish to contend for Governor of Nizhni Novgorod.
According to the law established criteria, only 12 persons passed the registration. All the candidates who were noted on this list live in Nizhni Novgorod region. Nizhni Novgorod¢s branches of "Fatherland" (June 7) and " Unity" (June 11) parties took their decisions to endorse the candidate of the acting governor I. Sklyarov. In Sarov only five candidates conducted an active electoral campaign in the second quarter of 2001. These were A.A. Klimentiev, D.V. Saveliev, I.P. Sklyarov and G.M. Khodyrev. Structure of Nizhni Novgorod GovernmentOn April 26 the Legislative Assembly of Nizhni Novgorod region approved the regional Government structure. In addition to the government Chairman and the post of a deputy the following eleven ministries were provided for:
On June 15 the first meeting of Nizhni Novgorod government was arranged. By that time appointment of Sergei Obozov as the Chairman of the government, Alexander Batyrev as the deputy chairman as well as appointment of six ministers had been confirmed. Among them there was Valeri Limarenko, the minister of construction and housing-communal complex who had previously been first an associate of RFNC-VNIIEF and then the deputy chairman of the city Duma of Sarov. Industry Nizhni Novgorod region is an industrial area. Machine-building and metal working continue to be the basic industries accounting for 42% of the total output. Therefore, prospects for development and the future of people living in the region are governed by operation of industrial enterprises located here. In the first four months of the current year the industrial production recession comprised 4.1% compared with the four months of the previous year. There are several explanations for this. The recession took place after a noticeable growth last year that had been observed neither in the country nor in the region over a few tens of years. During the crisis the equipment at many enterprises was not renewed. It was becoming obsolete both morally and physically. A further growth at the rates similar to those of the previous year was almost impossible without equipment renewal and expansion of existing capacities. New owners who came to large enterprises last year realized that. Thus, multimillion investment programs were elaborated and their implementation was started almost for all known plants of the region. In 2001 the total direct investments in the regional enterprises will amount to over 1 billion US$. First of all, the case in point is the Gorky automobile plant where about 250 million dollars have already been invested, the Zavolzhsky motor plant, the Vyksa metallurgical plant, the Dzerzhinsk and Kstovo chemical plants. In the first four months of 2001 the capacities making it possible to produce up to 50 thousand car engines a year were commissioned. Construction of a rolling mill for production of large diameter pipes was started by Gasprom¢s orders. In 1999 the volume of investments per capita made up 3,500 rubles while in 2001 this figure is expected to be increased almost threefold. Besides the pause connected with re-equipment of enterprises, there was another reason for the industrial production recession observed in the region at the year beginning. The indices were most severely affected by the car production data. Compared with January-April of the previous year, production of trucks decreased by 8 %, that of passenger cars reduced by 38.3 %, the number of cars having special bodies decreased by 26.5 %. At the same time, production of buses increased by 11.7 %. The conflict between the Gorky automobile plant and the Zavolzhsky motor plant was of no least important explanations for reduced production of passenger cars. This conflict was settled only in the middle of spring. The confrontation caused by disagreements in the prices for engines and their components even ended in a stop of production lines. In May-early June the Gorky automobile plant started its production intensification again. Characterizing the processes proceeding in the industry of the region, the growth of output in light and food industries should be noted. In April of 2001 the light industry output increased by 12.3 %, in January-April it increased by 16.1 %. In April of 2001 the food industry output increased by 12.2 %, in January-April it increased by 6.4 %. Compared to metallurgy, machine-building and metal working, enterprises of these industries require no sophisticated and expensive equipment. They may respond quickly to increasing demands and expand their capacities. Therefore, the state of enterprises producing consumers¢ goods characterizes directly the growth of the average regional population living standards. Social Sphere Nizhni Novgorod region ranks twelfth among all subjects of the Russian Federation in the share of tax payments in the federal budget. According to the data of the Ministry of economic development, the social infrastructure development level in Nizhni Novgorod region is higher than the average level in Russia. In this respect the region ranks 24th among the Russian regions. The region is expected to occupy the twenty-second place in 2003. At the period from January to April of the current year 317 houses with 701 flats were built in the region. The total usable area is 73 thousand square meters, which is by 16.9 % more than at the similar period of the last year. As for putting into operation dwelling houses using all property forms, Nizhni Novgorod region ranks 17th among the Russian Federation regions and it ranks 19th in construction rates. Besides, the regional government is elaborating a mortgage crediting program that allows purchasing of dwellings by installments. That is why it may be predicted that more dwelling houses will be built. As of May 1, 2001, the level of officially registered unemployment comprised 0.8 %. As of March of the same year, Nizhni Novgorod region ranked 13th among the regions of Russia in the officially registered unemployment level. Standard of Living In March of 2001 the average wage of the personnel employed at large and medium-scale enterprises of Nizhni Novgorod region amounted to 2,294.5 rubles. As compared with March of 2000, it increased almost by a factor of 1.5 (49.1 %). The average pension increased by 20.6 % in the previous year. In April of 2001 the mean incomes per capita made up 1,910 rubles, which is 42 % more than a year before. In this respect Nizhni Novgorod comes 33d among the regions of Russia. At first glance it would seem that such a highly developed industrial region could expect something more. However, a closer look at this situation shows that besides Moscow inhabitants of the regions located in the Eastern Siberia and in the North have the highest incomes (mainly due to oil and gas deposits). The level of prices there is much higher (several times as much for foodstuffs) than in Nizhni Novgorod located at the crossing of trade lines in Russia. In April of 2001 the rise in prices for all goods and paid services in Nizhni Novgorod region comprised 9.1 % compared with December of the last year, which is almost similar to the average Russian index. In Nizhni Novgorod the cost of the minimum set of foodstuffs entering the consumer goods basket (for an able-bodied man) was 803 rubles per month in April of 2001 (846 rubles on average in Russia). Therefore, the quantity used by the Ministry of economic development, that is the ratio between the mean incomes per capita and the subsistence level (the ratio between the average wage and the prices for the main foodstuffs), is more important. In early 2001 Nizhni Novgorod region ranked 16th in this characteristic while in 1999 it occupied the 41st place. Zarechny (Former Penza-19) On June 7 the meeting "Business and power" was held in the building of the city administration of Zarechny city (Penza region). Among the attendants there were representatives of small and medium business, the city administration, the Assembly of Representatives as well as representatives from the Department of Internal Affairs, the public prosecutor¢s office, the tax inspection service, the State sanitary and epidemiological supervision center and other inspecting bodies. The aim of this meeting was to remove bureaucratic barriers preventing from business development. During this meeting preparation the questions most often addressed by businessmen to the city authorities were analyzed. The greatest part of these questions turned out to be within the competence of the regional organs of authority power. After the meeting a list of the problems preventing from normal business development in the city Zarechny was made. This list will be submitted to the regional government and to the Legislative Assembly. Seversk (Former Tomsk-7) On April 25, on the eve of the "black anniversary" of Chernobyl accident that happened in 1986, a briefing was arranged at the Siberian chemical plant. The topic of this briefing was "Analysis of measures aimed at increasing operational safety of industrial nuclear reactors". The speakers noted a stable operation of the "passive protection" complex. It has analogs nowhere in the world. This system allows reactor shut-down irrespective of whether operators work or do not work. It interacts neither with electron systems nor with a human being. Besides, it was noted that the elements of the systems for emergency reactor cooling had been successfully tested. The system of physical protection designed for the object protection from terrorists underwent updating and is operating in a stable manner. Thus, all the speakers emphasized that the activities having been performed in recent years made it possible to put safety in atomic industry at a new high-quality level. Snezhinsk (Former Chelyabinsk-70) On June 14 the meeting of the Council of guardians of the "International Development Center - Snezhinsk" Fund was organized. Carol Vipperman, the president of the Russian-American Business Cooperation Fund (FRAEC), Andrea McCook, the director of "Nuclear cities initiative" program of FRAEC Fund, Ronald Nesse representing the Pacific North-Western National Laboratory came to participate in this event. The reports of the activities performed by the IDC - Snezhinsk Fund in the field of business, social initiatives and conversion projects of the previous year were heard. The plans for the next year were outlined. On May 9 a one-day international scientific conference "Ecclesiastical heritage of Sarov" dedicated to ecclesiastical heritage of Seraphim of Sarov, to the topical problems of theology, interrelationship of science and theology, history and culture took place on the territory of Seraphimo-Diveevsky convent located in Diveevo village. The church of All Saints (Sarov), the Seraphimo-Diveevsky convent, the Fund of St. Francis and St. Seraphim (Great Britain), the Sarov Physics and Technology Institute, some private persons were this conference organizers. The delegation from Great Britain consisting of 8 persons participated in the conference. It included English priests of various confessions with bishop Vasili, vicar Surozhsky from the diocese belonging to the Moscow patriarchate, bishop Kallist Diokletiansky from the Kostantinopol patriarchate, Father Allen, clergyman of the Anglican Church, representing the Fund of St. Francis and St. Seraphim among them. The English scientist professor J. Harris representing the Pugwash Movement was a member of this delegation. He visited Sarov in 1998 to attend the Sarov Pugwash seminar. On the part of Russia the priesthood representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, scientists from Nizhni Novgorod, Sarov and Diveevo participated in the conference. The first deputy director of RFNC-VNIIEF V.P. Neznamov was charged with the conference opening. Among the presentations made at the conference the paper of bishop Vasili "Theology and science" was of special interest. In conclusion, he speculated that Sarov might play a crucial role in fruitful relations of science and faith, in future development of theology. The paper of bishop Kallist Diokletiansky called "Tradition of Live Holiness" dedicated to Seraphim of Sarov was also of great interest. In the course of round table discussions the problems of creating a historical archive based on various evidence of faith devotees and using up-to-date technologies were considered. Compensations for the Former Prisoners of Fascism The department of social support of Sarov population applied to the former prisoners of fascism for explanations related to the right of getting compensations from the fund "Memory, responsibility and the future". The following people are enabled to get a compensation from this fund:
Privatization of Municipal Property In the first half-year of 2001 1,873 thousand rubles versus 4,000 thousand rubles specified in the plan entered the city budget as a result of the municipal property privatization and giving uninhabitable dwellings in rent. Privatization plans for the following municipal property have been made:
The second issue of the annual information and reference edition "Business Sarov" was published. It describes the economic and business life of Sarov. This edition contains 104 pages. Its circulation is 4,000 copies. On the Street Trade According to the Resolution of the chief state physician of Sarov and based on article 51 of RF Law ? 52-?? "On sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population" adopted on 30.03.99, it is prohibited to sell canned meat, fish, milk, mushrooms, vegetables as well as mayonnaise, ketchup and sauces at the street trade sites to prevent infectious diseases. This resolution took effects from May 15, 200. |
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