Authorities of the region continued anti-recession actions by forming a list of food products for they plan to fix prices. Alfa-bank of Perm found itself drawn into a scandal, as did Mineral Fertilizers. Indices of the regional economy remain pessimistic. Find details in the weekly report by UralPolit.Ru.
Authorities of the region continued anti-recession actions by forming a list of food products for they plan to fix prices. Alfa-bank of Perm found itself drawn into a scandal, as did Mineral Fertilizers. Indices of the regional economy remain pessimistic. Find details in the weekly report by UralPolit.Ru.
Minister suspended
Chief investigation office of the Perm Region opened a criminal case against the regional minister of natural resources Stanislav Panchenko. He has been suspended from the Office by the governor Oleg Chirkunov. The ministry will undergo thorough check-ups.
Bread, butter and sausage under ministry’s control
Ministry of commerce of the Perm Region compiled a list of strategic food products, prices of which should be fixed. The final list will include 10 products such as bread, baking flour, macaroni, sausages and butter. Retailers and producers received the ministry’s offer with proper understanding.
Drug control
Regional ministry of healthcare along with other ministries and departments of the region plan to hold a Forum devoted to drug addiction. Such activities of the authorities are probably caused by a recent incident with a rehabilitation center for drub addicts, patients of which complained of being treated with cruelty. “We want to show people that the region has enough organizations and centers to provide necessary help for alcohol and drug addicts and their relatives”, deputy director of a regional narcological hospital Larisa Yurkova says.
Strategic partnership
German architectural bureau Schertel Architektur Buro has prepared draft designs of ski jumps for the Federal Center of Winter Sports in Chaikovsky, Perm Region. Representatives of the bureau and the president of biathlon and ski jumping association Vladimir Slavsky visited the town last week. Construction of this sport facility belongs to the list of 7 priorities of the governor Oleg Chirkunov. 90 million rubles have been allocated from the regional budget this year for the project already. 140 million rubles more will be spent on the launch of construction. Completion is scheduled for 2010.
Recession continues
Index of industrial production of Perm Region for the period of January-February, 2009 was published last week. Compared to the same period of 2008 the level of production made 74.1% in such spheres as excavation of natural resources, processing industry, production and distribution of energy, gas and water. The most considerable fall of production is observed in metallurgy and construction materials production, Statistics Office reports.
The amount of unemployed people in the region reached 45 thousand.
Banks in trouble
Alfa-bank has been drawn into a scandal with one of its clients, a company belonging to a deputy of the Legislative Chamber and a businessman Konstantin Okunev. Arbitration Court will decide whether the bank acted strictly by the articles of their Contract or exceeded its powers.
Fitch Ratings downgraded Alfa-bank and MDM-bank long term issuer default rating from BB to BB-, and changed outlook from stable to negative.
Chemical scandals
OJSC Mineral Fertilizers (MinUdobrenia) announced information regarding fraud which involved the name of the company. A fraud firm with the identical name “Mineral Fertilizers” spread commercial offers using the original logos, addresses, certificates, etc of the real OJSC Mineral Fertilizers. The website of this clone contains information on its corporate management team – quite different people. According to expert opinion, the most likely purpose of this fraud firm was not gaining financial profits, but pulling Mineral Fertilizers into a scandal.
Investments
Mineral and chemical company EuroChem made an announced last week regarding development of a potassium-magnesium salts deposit in Perm Region, for which it holds license. The company plans to start works at the deposit as soon as possible. Dividends from its affiliated companies Nevinnomyssky Azot and Novomoskovsky Azot will be directed for the development of Palashersky lot of the Upper-Kama potassium deposit.
According to financial reports of EuroChem for 2008, the company plans to gain 1.4 billion USD of dividends. Apart from Palashersky deposit in Perm Region, EuroChem plans to start developing Gremyachinsky potassium deposit in Volgograd Region. Development of Palashersky deposit requires 1.2 billion USD, Gremyachinsky deposit – 2.5 billion USD, Finance Journal estimates.