27 April 2004 20:13
Moscow press review for April 27, 2004
MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - The following is a digest of Moscow newspapers published on April 27. Interfax does not
accept liability for information in these stories. POLITICS & ECONOMICS
President Vladimir Putin has written amendments to a widely condemned bill banning rallies near almost all public
buildings. The changes would allow protests outside government buildings and ease some other restrictions, but still ban
demonstrations near presidential residences, courts, jails and hazardous materials facilities, among other places
(Vedomosti; Moscow Times, p. 1; Vremya Novostei).
President Vladimir Putin put Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov
personally in charge of pension reform and called on the Cabinet to
OIL & GAS
The $3.5 billion tax lawsuit against Yukos has triggered a wave
Cabinet chief of staff Dmitry Kozak said 20% of his staff would be laid off and the number of White House departments
slashed from 23 to 12, while wages will be raised for remaining employees (Vedomosti; Moscow Times, p. 3; Vremya
Novostei, p. 1).
Former Central Bank chief Viktor Geraschenko, currently a member
of the Rodina faction in the State Duma, has been nominated by Group
"very carefully" draft pension legislation, which is supposed to be submitted to the State Duma after the
May holidays (Vremya Novostei).
Russia was the third largest borrower in the developing world last year, according to a new report from the World
Bank (Moscow Times, p. 7).
The founder and chairman of St. Petersburg's Promyshlenno-
stroitelny Bank (PSB), Vladimir Kogan, on Monday said that
of claims from creditors and shareholders, with a syndicate of banks headed by Societe Generale warning the oil major
might default on a $1 billion loan, and prominent lawyer Bruce Marx preparing a suit on behalf of minority shareholders
(Vedomosti, p. A1; Moscow Times, p. 1; Izvestia, p. 1; Vremya Novostei).
Menatep to chair the board of directors of Yukos (Vedomosti, p. B1). UTILITIES
Coal company Kuzbassrazrezugol and Renova's KES might follow Gazprom's lead and also abandon Russian
Communal Systems, the housing services and utilities management company founded last year on the initiative of UES chief
executive Anatoly Chubais (Vedomosti, p. A1). BANKING, FINANCE & INSURANCE
Vneshtorgbank (VTB) is buying a 25% stake in the bank. Analysts think VTB will increase its stake in PSB to a
controlling interest (Vedomosti, p. A1). RETAIL & CONSUMER MARKET
Juice and dairy company Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods has lost its lead on the Russian juice market, which it held for more
than ten years. WBD's juice sales dropped 12.8% to 103,800 tonnes in the first quarter of 2004, while chief
competitors Lebedyansky and Multon each sold about 130,000 tonnes (Vedomosti, p. B1). TELECOMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA &
TECHNOLOGY
A new draft list of communications services that will be subject to licensing in Russia is almost twice as long as
the old one and could cause serious problems for alternative telecoms providers (Vedomosti).
Interview: Alexander Goncharuk, member of the board of directors of AFK Sistema (Vedomosti). Kommersant was not
available at the time the press review was issued. Please see our update at 10:30 am. [RU ASIA EUROPE EEU EMRG PRESS TEL
BEV FOD MRG BNK POL CRU ENR ELG REGS]
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