MINING LICENSES ISSUED IN YAKUTIA IN DEFAULT OF RULES

Far East Federal District's Department of Public Control and Perspective Development of Subsurface Use uncovered violations in mining licensing procedures in Yakutia.

As auditors found, OAO Nizhne-Lenskoye was permitted to produce diamonds under licenses that were not valid. A diamond production license for Molodo deposit was issued without bidding or auction procedures. Development works were not preceded by governmental expert review under established procedure, which defaults Article 29 of the RF law "On Subsurface" and Order No. 95 issued by the Natural Resources Ministry.

As spokesman for the Public Control Department informs, auditors requested the Natural Resources Ministry to suspend licenses issued unlawfully and partly stop operations under the project "Extension Exploration of Placer Flanks on Billyakh River." - Yury ROGOV.

"KIT" REACHED PRIMORSKY KRAI

A new player appeared in Primorye's market of investment services - branch of management company Creative Investment Technologies (KIT in Russian) from St. Petersburg.

The branch's main activity will be operations with investment fund shares. KIT has 6 unit investment funds in its management: KIT - Stock Fund, KIT - Bond Fund, KIT - Balanced Fund, KIT - Russian Electrical Power, KIT - Russian Oil and KIT - Russian Telecommunications.

KIT is one of Russia's largest management companies. Total value of aseets in its management exceeds 1.7 billion rubles. Along with Vladivostok, KIT is represented in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Tver, Nizhny Novgorod and Perm. - Tatiana KOZINA.

PRIMORYE WILL PRODUCE STEEL PRODUCTS, PRICE WILL FALL BY 30%

Pavel Patsvald, director of the Far East branch of Novolipetsky Metallurgical Combine (NMC), declared that prices for steel products if fabricated locally would decline by 20%.

By his words, company plans for this year include establishment of a high-capacity service centre for polymeric-coated galvanized steel processing and startup of an electric-welded pipe plant. Investments in these two projects will total about 30 million rubles.

This decision has been prompted by Primorye's remoteness from main production centers and policy to reduce steel product prices by bringing products closer to buyer. For instance, the closest electric welded pipe manufacturers are located as far as in Novosibirsk and Novokuznetsk. While a rail car has a capacity of 60 tons, it can be loaded with only 40 tons of pipes and the rest is air.

Pavel Patsvald believes that the new service centre will allow reduce finished product cost by 15-20%. In the near future, NMC's branch will organize a tender for equipment manufacturers and its winner will start installation works in Vladivostok. - Yevgeny ITAROV.

BILL ON SEA PORTS REJECTED IN FIRST READING

The Council of Federation discussed a draft of the federal law "On Sea Ports of Russian Federation," which is of much importance for maritime territories. CF's Natural Resources and Environment Committee did not support this bill proposed by the State Duma saying there are serious flaws in it.

CF member Oleg Kozhemyako, representing Primorsky Krai, expressed a dissenting opinion, drew his colleagues' attention to the urgency of this problem and said that such a law is needed as soon as possible.

"Until now, there is a legal gap in sea port activities, with none applicable regulatory documents available. The existing Merchant Marine Code, by which all sea ports are guided, contains references to a federal law on sea ports, i.e., the code implies existence of a single federal law as supreme binding force regarding port activities. Indeed, some definitions in the bill need to be elaborated but the bill as a whole should not be shelved." - Yevgeny ITAROV.

VLADIVOSTOK HAS WATER FOR TWO MONTHS

Gosstroy's federal inspector for Vladivostok Mikhail Gilev declared that there is only a two-month supply of water in reservoirs feeding Vladivostok and Artem.

Once Shkotovsky intake water works are put into operation and with Shtykovsky water works operating, water reserves will be replenished due to snow and river ice melting. Then, focus will be shifted to construction of Pushkinskaya Depression water works expected to be commissioned in early 2005. - Yury ROGOV.

"ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT" DRAGNET THROWN IN PRIMORSKY KRAI

As spokesman for Primorsky Krai Interior Affairs Office informs, police take special action to prevent law violation by foreign nationals every day.

By words of Viktor Plotnikov, head of the region's Immigration Office, about 70% of foreigners coming to the Far East Federal District enter Russia via Primorsky Krai. Thus, 45,000 foreign citizens entered Primorye during January-February and about 5,000 came to Khabarovsky Krai.

"In addition, Primorsky Krai handles the largest number of Chinese citizens coming on a visa free basis. Over 10,000 foreigners were registered in Primorye during two months and 900 in Khabarovsky Krai. Our turnover is considerably higher than the region's average: 67 foreign citizens will be expelled from the Far East Federal District by 5-day results of the nationwide dragnet "Illegal Immigrant," of which Primorye accounts for 49 ones," said Viktor Plotnikov.

More than 16,000 foreign guests were held liable for guilty administrative conduct in Primorsky Krai during 2003. Over 700 illegally employed foreigners were traced and 120 ones were detained on criminal charges. - Yury ROGOV.

YAKUTIA WILL HOST WORLD REINDEER BREEDING CONGRESS

The third worldwide congress is scheduled for March 2005 in Yakutsk.

Yakutsk was chosen a venue at the previous congress held in Finland in 2001. Its purpose will be to discuss reindeer breeding problems on a worldwide basis. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.

OFFICIAL FROM PRIMORYE GETS HIGH-RANKING POSITION IN MOSCOW

Nikolai Kretsu, manager of the Pension Fund's branch in Primorsky Krai, was appointed executive director at the main office on 25 March.

His responsibilities will include such vital aspects of the Pension Fund's functioning as human resources, governmental procurement, development of material and technical base.

The issue of Nikolai Kretsu's successor in Primorsky Krai remains open. Pension Fund's chairman of board Gennady Batanov is ready to consider his proposals. - Yevgeny ITAROV.