Russia 090505 Basic Political Developments

Victory Day 2009 on the Thames Brings Russia and the UK Closer

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Victory-Day-2009-on-the-prnews-15129037.html?.v=101

LONDON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Britain and Russia are gearing up to celebrate the Victory Day.

Saturday, 9 May 2009 will be a big day for the veterans of both nations. Russian veterans of the Arctic Convoy from the north Russian town of Archangelsk and British veterans of the Arctic Convoys from the Royal and Merchant Navy will celebrate their Victory Day together in London.

In an official ceremony, which will be held on HMS Belfast in the presence of HRH The Duke of Kent, HE the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Yury Fedotov and guests, British and Russian veterans will for the second year reunite to commemorate their friends and celebrate their victory.

The dignitaries will address the audience with the Royal Signals Band performing military music during the event, ending with the last post, which will be followed by a minute's silence. The Russian and British anthems will be followed by a gun salute from the HMS Belfast's 4-inch guns. A long abolished naval tradition of Pusser's Rum "Up Spirits!" will be re-enacted on the Boat Deck to complete the ceremony.

This celebration is supported by Peter Hambro Mining Plc (UK), J.P.Morgan Cazenove (UK) and VTB Capital (Russia). Others contributing include the Imperial War Museum (UK), British Embassy in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Finance Magazine (Russia), PR Newswire (UK), Angliya Newspaper (UK), Interfax (Russia), Pusser's Rum (UK), Russky Standart Vodka (Russia), The Russia House (UK) and others.

The organiser, Eugene Kasevin, has stated that "despite the world's current economic difficulties, such a joint effort of the business communities of Great Britain and Russia to celebrate their historical unity during the dark days of Wold War Two will highlight once again the strong cultural ties between the two great nations and will reinforce the prevailing respect of our generation to our ancestors' who gave their lives to defeat the oppressors".

Cosmic six: new crew to depart for the ISS

http://www.russiatoday.ru/Sci_Tech/2009-05-05/Cosmic_six__new_crew_to_depart_for_the_ISS.html

05 May, 2009, 11:06

The next crew for the International Space Station is getting ready to fly, but first they have to pass their exams. Once successful, a team of three will blast off at the end of the month.

There are two full-scale mock ups at the Gagarin center right outside Moscow – one of the Soyuz spacecraft, and another of the Russian part of the ISS.

During the exam, the cosmonaut will have to demonstrate coordination and cooperation in all sorts of situations, including emergency ones.

The exams are an exciting event in the life of every cosmonaut. After their results, a commission will decide whether the crew members are ready to go into space or not.

On the other hand though, many speculate that at this stage of Russian space exploration, these exams are nothing but a mere formality. After years of joint training, it is thought that the three crew members cannot fail, and understand each other extremely well despite all being of a different nationality.

The upcoming expedition to the ISS has already been labeled as a new era in space exploration. For the first time in its existence, the space station will see the increase of its permanent crew members from three to six people.

So, if everything goes well for the cosmonauts, they will join another three colleagues in orbit on the 27th of May. The crew will then work together for the next six months.

A representative of Roscosmos explained that it has always been Russia’s goal to have more people working on the ISS. However, this will mean that space tourism will have to be sacrificed – at least for a while.

Council of Europe: Ian Micallef calls on Russia not to enact amendments to local self-government law

http://www.isria.info/RESTRICTED/D/2009/MAY_7/4_May_2009_43.htm

“The draft amending law on local self-government in Russia, which has just been adopted by the Russian Federal Assembly, is a cause for serious concern", stated today Ian Micallef, President a.i. of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

“If enacted, the amendments will introduce a new mechanism enabling the dismissal of mayors by municipal councils at the initiative of the regional governor. I believe that the dismissal of mayors without any consultation with the population that elected them and without a right to appeal to court, may not be in conformity with the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which the Russian Federation ratified in 1998."

"I regret that the opinions and proposals of municipalities, regions and independent experts and most of the amendments submitted by the All-Russia Council on Local Self-Government, based on proposals from local authorities, were not taken into account,” he said.

“I call on the Russian authorities, first and foremost the President of the Russian Federation, not to enact the draft amending law on local self-government in Russia before seeking an opinion of the Council of Europe, particularly of its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities", concluded President Micallef.

Medvedev to have videoconferences with governors regularly

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=13903685&PageNum=0

GORKI, May 4 (Itar-Tass) -- President Dmitry Medvedev had a videoconference with Tomsk region Governor Viktor Kress on Monday.

Medvedev said he would use this method of communication with governors on a regular basis.

“This form of communication does not require a governor to come to Moscow, wasting time and money, especially now,” the president said.

“At the same time, this method of communication makes it possible to exchange ideas regarding the agenda and, if need be, give instructions. And I will do so after the conversation,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev used this form of communication when he was a vice prime minister and contacted regions without leaving his office in order to discuss various issues and ways to solve them.

Tomsk region Governor Viktor Kress said the rate of unemployment in the region was declining.

“The situation is getting more manageable and people are beginning to adapt,” he said.

“On the one hand, everyone has felt the crisis. On the other hand, measures adopted at the federal and regional levels have begun working,” the governor added.

Unemployment increased by 19 percent in December 2008, by 16 percent in January and February 2009, by 5 percent in March and by 3.2 percent in April.

Of 360,000 people engaged in the economy, 220,000-225,000 are working in small business, Kress said.