LAWMAKER CALLED OFF HUNGER STRIKE

Member of the legislative assembly of Primorsky Krai Adam Imadayev halted hunger strike declared on 15 January to draw attention to bankruptcies of local enterprises.

He called off his action of protest after being elected chairman of an ad hoc commission of lawmakers set up to inquire into bankruptcies of Primorsky Krai's socially important enterprises.

The commission was established at an extraordinary session of the legislative assembly held on 3 February. By Adam Imadayev's words, upon his appeal to President Putin on 2 February presidential chief of staff Dmitry Medvedev gave orders to his deputies Dmitry Kozak, Vladislav Surkov and Alexander Abramov to sort out this situation.

As Adam Imadayev informs, lawmakers intend to inquire into activities by arbitration court in connection with bankruptcy procedures started in a number of major Primorsky Krai companies. He further said that the ad hoc commission plans to work in collaboration with FSB, police and prosecutors. Findings will be submitted to the next session of the legislative assembly in February, to the Supreme Qualification Commission of Judges and to the presidential administration. - Yury ROGOV.

DALZAVOD YARD BUILDING SHIPS AGAIN

A keel laying ceremony for the self-propelled flat barge "Putyatin" was held at OAO Dalzavod, formerly a major shipbuilding yard, in Vladivostok on 23 January.

The barge has been ordered by the administration of Fokino town for transportation of passengers and cargoes to Putyatina Island.

Dalzavod has launched no new vessel during last 20 years. Today the yard has necessary conditions for building ships and making all kinds of repair. - Yury ROGOV.

EURASHOLDING HAS STRONGER CONTROL OF NAKHODKA PORT

As Eurasholding's press release informs, the holding has increased its stake in OAO Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port (NCSP) to 91.5%.

This transaction is part of a move from control over assets to consolidation of property and financial flows in a single holding structure.

The press release says that acquisition of NCSP shares is an important element of consistent strategy aimed at consolidating assets in the Eurasholding group and raising management efficiency. NCSP's financial results will be fully incorporated in the group's consolidated accounting documentation for 2003.

NCSP handled 6.2 million tons of cargo in 2003 (+16% on 2002). The bulk of turnover consisted of ferrous metal exports (4 million tons) and timber (1 million tons). The port also handled 600,000 tons of coal, 60,000 tons of import cargoes, received 890 ships.

Forecasts for this year predict growth by nearly 1 million tons. - Kirill ARIADOV.

WATER USE RESTRICTIONS IN FORCE IN VLADIVOSTOK

The water supply situation in the south of Primorsky Krai remains tense, with resources earlier accumulated in local reservoirs dwindling away.

Current daily consumption rate is as follows: Vladivostok - 250,245 cubic meters (55.61% of demand), Artem - 28,000 cubic meters (80.0%), Nadezhdinsky Raion - 3,700 cubic meters (74.0%).

Primorsky Krai administration plans to put into service already in this year the first stage of South Primorye's largest underground water reservoir Pushkinskaya Depression with a daily capacity of up to 60,000 cubic meters. The entire intake waterworks will be completed in 2005. - Nadezhda OKOVITAYA.

BAMR SAILS TO NEW OWNER

Eurasholding, an affiliate of which bought 66% of voting shares in BAMR (50% + 1 share) from management-controlled firms in last September, gives the largest fishing company back to local structures.

An extraordinary shareholders meeting initiated by ZAO Dalinvestgroup will take place on 8 February. Its agenda is traditional for such cases: approval of by-laws and new version of regulation on director general, early termination of the authority of the supervisory board, election of a new board, etc.

As became known to "ZR," nobody from the serving board, including BAMR director general Anatoly Kolesnichenko, is among 9 candidates. They are Eurasholding vice president Timofei Khryapov, BAMR first director general Sergei Kononyuk (former master of OAO TURNIF's vessel RTMS Gnevnyi), former adviser to Primorye governor Alexander Malyarenko, ex-deputy director general of Roliz company.

The appearance of the governor's former aide on the list of candidates shows that from the very beginning Eurasholding was not a strategic investor but rather an intermediate owner. By ZR's data, by doing so Eurasholding fulfilled informal obligations to Primorsky Krai administration assumed when buying the Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port earlier this year (Eurasholding increased its stake in NCSP up to 91.5%).

Seemingly, BAMR's new owners don't need services by Kolesnichenko and his team any more. According to new by-laws to be approved at the upcoming meeting, director general will elected by the board. Kolesnichneko, whose contract expires in May, is not among candidates. He will be most likely replaced by a representative of the "new wave" in Primorsky Krai business. In the meantime, some organizational changes have already occurred: five new positions with functions similar to those of first deputy director general were set up. One of new directors with unclear but obviously broad scope of authority became Alexander Malyarenko.

As for prospects lying before BAMR, they are not that vague. The Russian fishing industry's second-largest company following OAO Murmansk Trawling Fleet, BAMR operates a fleet of about 40 vessels and, after some recession, has very good chances to regain its standing after the new quota allocation system entered into force (BAMR has been allocated 137,000 tons for this year, though it harvested only 109,000 tons in 2003), especially when the governor's former aide is at its helm.

In the meantime, by words of Kolesnichenko, BAMR started work on cost reduction. In particular, some onshore divisions and departments were closed and decision made to sell several transport vessels likely to be followed by service ships. - Oleg KLIMENKO.

VLADIVOSTOK ENTREPRENEURS SET UP UNION

Vladivostok Entrepreneurs' Union (VEU) has been set up at a second attempt.

Representatives of 12 industry associations making up VEU unanimously voted for in support of the union. In all, industry associations represent more than 750 corporate entities.

The union itself will be their non-commercial association and registered with tax authorities before 1 March . VEU president became Yury Boyko, formerly a leader of non-commercial association of construction companies "Vlastra."

Draft by-laws and agreement with the city administration have already been worked out. The union members expressed hope than mayor Yury Kopylov, its "ideological father," would chair or join the board of trustees. It was decided to send invitations to prominent local legislators, politicians, governmental officials.

The union has no premises as yet, but everybody keeps in mind the mayor's promise to provide office space with equipment should VEU be established.

VEU's goal and objectives will be to work out coordinated policies for entrepreneurship. Its members plan to lobby their interest in city and regional legislative assemblies, to promote their representatives to governmental bodies, to collaborate with local officials, regulatory authorities numbering 60 in Primorsky Krai and even publish a newspaper. - Yury NURMUKHAMETOV.

TRAINING IN USA FOR FOREST SPECIALISTS FROM FAR EAST

18 specialists in timber production and woodworking from Far East and Buryatia will take internship training in USA during 19 June - 17 July.

Over 3,000 managers and researchers from CIS states have already took training in USA under the programme SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training Program). SABIT intern trainees familiarize themselves with the state of respective industries in USA, make business contacts, learn new technologies, equipment and services, better understand basic principles of a free market economy.

The programme addresses technical specialists occupying managerial positions in logging and woodworking companies. Training includes seminars on development of business and financial plans, on business negotiating and on general international market principles. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.

EUROPEAN UNION WILL TEACH EFFECTIVE BANKRUPTCY

Xavier Boree, manager of EU - TASIS project "Bankruptcy Procedure Effectiveness," visited the Far East recently.

The purpose of his trip was to make preparations for a practical seminar to be held in Khabarovsk in February - March for court-appointed managers, officials of territorial bodies of the Federal Financial Recovery Service and others dealing with bankruptcies.

By Boree's words, this is EU's second project of this kind in Russia. Project life is 3 years with a budget of $2 million. Far East is on this programme for the first time. The programme includes training of court-appointed managers, professional support to them, assistance in preparing draft laws, regulations relating to the bankruptcy market, monitoring systems for bankrupt companies. Instructors at TASIS seminars are leading Russian and West European experts.

As Xavier Boree stressed, it is not meant that West Europe's experience in financial rescue of companies will be transferred to this part of the world. It is impossible, because each country has its particular bankruptcy procedures. He also expressed regret that the European Union has given so little attention to the Russian Far East so far. - Nadezhda VORONTSOVA.