What the Papers Say, July 10, 2013

Kommersant

1. Tatyana Kuznetsova and Sergei Khodnev article headlined "Ministry of Culture performs at Bolshoi Theatre" reports on the "unexpected" sacking of Anatoly Iksanov from the post of the Bolshoi Theatre director. Vladimir Urin has been appointed to the post; pp 1, 11 (1,272 words).

2. Yury Senatarov and Nikolay Sergeyev article headlined "They decide not to take much from bribe-takers" says the authorities plan to amend the anti-corruption legislation developed by Dmitry Medvedev and not to impose hefty fines on bribe-takers. Prosecutor-General Yury Chayka said that the law-enforcement agencies managed to get only 19 million rubles (about $630,000) out of 19 billion rubles of fines; pp 1, 5 (590 words).

3. Yegor Popov and Natalya Barkhatova article headlined "Helpless measure" says the EU can sue Russia as a WTO member over the so-called "utilization tax" importers of vehicles have to pay. Moscow has decided to impose the same tax on vehicles made in Russia, but Brussels does not want to wait until the relevant bill is passed; pp 1, 9 (670 words).

4. Maria Yakovleva article headlined "Four years for report" says top managers and book-keepers of all financial companies will face responsibility for forging their bookkeeping; pp 1, 8 (590 words).

5. Irina Nagornykh article headlined "Kremlin will continue reset of internal politics" says first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration Vyacheslav Volodin has met with political experts to speak about the ongoing "reset" of the Russian political system; p 2 (574 words).

6. Maxim Ivanov et al. report headlined "Yury Chayka counts foreign agents" says Prosecutor-General Yury Chayka has told President Putin that his office revealed 215 NGOs which are financed from abroad, none of them wants to get registered as a foreign agent in accordance with the new law. Putin demanded that the law be enforced; p 3 (721 words).

7. Taisya Bekbulatova et al. report headlined "Sergei Sobyanin adds candidate to the Federation Council to signatures" says acting Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin taking part in the mayoral election has named his candidates to the Federation Council who will represent Moscow in case of his election. Co-chairman of the central headquarters of the People Front for Russia movement Alexander Galushka is one of the candidates for the senator's post; p 3 (425 words).

8. Saratov-based Asya Safiullina article headlined "Reinforcement approaching Pugachev" says protests continue in the town of Pugachev, Saratov Region, following the murder of a local young man by a Chechen national. People demand that the local police chief be sacked; p 4 (706 words).

9. Makhachkala-based Yulya Rybina article headlined "Firing list reduced by one journalist" gives the details of the murder of Dagestani journalist Akhmednabi Akhmednabyev. Unanimous sources say he had conflict both with the local law-enforcement agencies and officials; p 5 (592 words).

10. Viktorya Sergeyeva and Sergei Goryashko article headlined "Citizens fail to appreciate fight against corruption" says a recent report by Transparency International shows that most Russians find the police and officials to be corrupt, half of the respondents noted a hike in corruption in the last two years; p 5 (422 words).

11. Maria Yefimova interview with Andreas Gross, the Council of Europe's rapporteur on Russia, speaking on human rights violations in Russia and the Russia-EU relations; p 6 (610 words).

12. Maxim Yusin article headlined "Hamed Karzai to be left alone with Talebans" comments on the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan; p 6 (330 words).

13. Sergei Strokan article headlined "Muslim Brothers invited to referendum" comments on the latest developments in Egypt; p 6 (360 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Sergei Kulikov article headlined "Monopolists to be spread all over front" says the People Front for Russia movement plans to gather 100,000 signatures of those supporting the "tax holidays" for entrepreneurs and the change of anti-monopoly regulations; pp 1, 4 (865 words).

2. Marina Gaykovich and Grigory Zaslavsky article headlined "Bolshoi Theatre says farewell to 2000s" gives the details of the dismissal of Bolshoi Theatre director Anatoly Iksanov; pp 1, 8 (689 words).

3. Milrad Fatullayev article headlined "Ramadan begins with shooting" says journalist Akhmednabi Akhmednabyev has been shot dead near his house in the suburbs of Makhachkala, the capital of the Republic of Dagestan; the investigation believes his profession was the main reason for the murder; pp 1, 3 (644 words).

4. Ivan Rodin article headlined "Constitutional Court calls at internet" says the Constitutional Court has ruled that the current law on the protection of honor and dignity does not protect people from publications on the internet. The new Civil Code which comes into effect on 1 October has this shortcoming eliminated; pp 1, 3 (709 words).

5. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Azarov ready to listen to Medvedev's claims" says Ukraine is trying to play for time in relations with Russia while waiting for the EU decision on the Ukrainian integration. The Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers are to meet in Sochi on Friday, 12 July; pp 1-2 (947 words).

6. Darya Tsilyurik article headlined "Cuban security services to take Snowden under protection" looks at a possible operation to send CIA whistle-blower Edward Snowden from Moscow to Venezuela where he asked for political asylum. He is likely to fly via Asia and is to be protected by Cuban security agents; pp 1, 6 (552 words).

7. Aleksey Gorbachev article headlined "Magnitsky list in quiet way" says the EU member states are to follow the UK practice of banning entrance to officials included in the U.S. Magnitsky Act. Russia may respond by banning the adoption of Russian orphans by the citizens of the EU countries; p 2 (465 words).

8. Editorial headlined "Transcaucasian surprises" looks at the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan and Georgia; p 2 (449 words).

9. Mikhail Sergeyev article headlined "West warned about disruptions in gas supplies" says Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey may suffer from the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute. Kiev does not want to buy more gas to fill its storage facilities with reserve fuel, while Gazprom does not agree to supply gas for free; p 4 (670 words).

10. Yevgenya Novikova article headlined "Bashar al-Asad ready for UN inspection of chemical weapons" says Damascus is ready to prove that chemical weapons were used by the armed opposition but not by the government forces; p 6 (654 words).

11. Vladimir Skosyrev article headlined "USA may leave Afghanistan early" says the U.S. displeased with the policy of Afghan President Karzai may withdraw troops from Afghanistan earlier than planned; p 6 (501 words).

Vedomosti

1. Yury Nekhaychuk and Olga Plotonova article headlined "Nabiullina insures reputation risk" says the Central bank will be allowed to evaluate the reputation of top managers and beneficiaries of insurance companies in a new policy of tighter control over the work of insurance companies; pp 1, 15 (691 words).

2. Yekaterina Sobol and Aleksey Nikolsky article headlined "United Aircraft Building Corporation to commission engines for 1bn dollars" says the United Aircraft Building Corporation is to buy engines from the Rostekh corporation for $1 billion; pp 1, 13 (516 words).

3. Editorial headlined "Standard conflict" says clashes between Russians and North Caucasus nationals may break out in many southern regions as the authorities ignore ethnic problems; pp 1, 6 (430 words).

4. Lilya Biryukova article headlined "To approve in five rounds" details the scheme of the approval of regional heads in Dagestan and Ingushetia, republics which rejected direct gubernatorial elections; p 2 (559 words).

5. Olga Kuvshinova and Maxim Tovkaylo interview with First Deputy Finance Minister Tatyana Nesterenko, speaking on the fiscal policy, budget cuts and pay rise to officials; p 8 (2,894 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Vladislav Kulikov article headlined "Not worth gratitude" says the Supreme Court has ruled that even the money paid voluntarily to one's boss will be considered to be a bribe; pp 1, 6 (791 words).

2. Alena Uzbekova interview with Alexander Radkov, head of the Russian Tourism Agency, speaking on the risks of Russian tourists in Egypt and plans for the development of domestic tourism; pp 1, 11 (3,070 words).

3. Alexander Gasyuk and Anna Fedyakina article headlined "If this is love?" says the EU and Washington have started free trade talks. The world's largest free trade zone may be set up by late 2014; pp 1, 8 (943 words).

4. Yevgeny Shestakov article headlined "Snowden passed from hand to hand" says the scandal with Snowden has stripped the U.S. of its superpower status, as it showed that Washington cannot influence some states; p 8 (612 words).

5. Article by Fedor Lukyanov, chairman of the presidium of the Foreign and Defense Policy Council, headlined "Reverse side of history" analyses the recent developments in Egypt and notes that the U.S. just has to adapt to the changing situation and Europe hit by the economic crisis has no means to change the situation; p 8 (706 words).

Izvestya

1. Viktor Sokirko article headlined "Ban on launching Glonass by Proton rockets" says Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has suspended Proton rockets launches following the crash on 2 July. Glonass navigation system satellites will be launched by Soyuz rockets; pp 1, 4 (621 words).

2. Alexander Yunashev article headlined "Sobyanin election headquarters recommend him to take part in debates" says head of Sergei Sobyanin election headquarters Lyudmila Shvetsova advises him to take part in debates with other mayoral hopefuls; pp 1, 4 (571 words).

3. Konstantin Volkov article headlined "Hamed Karzai breaks up with USA" says Afghan President Karzai is displeased with U.S. talks with the Taliban; some reports say the U.S. may withdraw its troops ahead of the schedule; p 7 (469 words).

4. Maria Gorkovskaya article headlined "Latin America offers 'collective asylum' to Snowden" says Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia are ready to provide political asylum to US whistle-blower Edward Snowden despite the dissatisfaction of Washington; p 7 (477 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Mikhail Rostovsky article headlined "Will Pugachev [protests] reach Kremlin?" says the recent protests in the town of Pugachev, Saratov Region, where a Chechen migrant killed a local man, show that ethnic crime is becoming one of the most serious problems in Russia; pp 1, 3 (950 words).

2. Olga Bozhyeva article headlined "Sloppy people ruin Proton" gives an update on the probe into the recent Proton-M rocket crash. It seems that sloppy workers who failed to attach the corner speed sensors properly caused the crash. The state commission inspecting the work before the launch did not notice anything; pp 1-2 (1,126 words).

3. Yulya Kalinina article headlined "Recipe for officials' hodgepodge" proposes some anti-corruption measures as recent public opinion surveys have shown that 74 per cent of Russians believe officials to be corrupt; pp 1-2 (1,200 words).

Novaya Gazeta

1. Diana Khachatryan article headlined "Last page" comments on a bill submitted to the State Duma which will make it possible to close any paper without court rulings; p 24 (836 words).

2. Andrei Kolesnikov article headlined "Sobyanin needs Navalny" says the authorities want opposition activist Aleksey Navalny to take part in the Moscow mayoral election to make them more legitimate; p 7 (593 words).

3. Nadezhda Andreieva article headlined "Ethnic grounds and Sobornaya Square" subheaded "Lessons of Pugachev" says "in an ethnic conflict like in a fire, the authorities are fighting the flames not the causes of fire"; p 6 (1,100 words)

Noviye Izvestya

1. Vera Moslakova interview with A Just Russia lawmaker Oksana Dmitryeva denying information spread by some media that she was going to join the Communists. She comments on the situation within her party which is close to a split; pp 1-2 (646 words).

2. Margarita Alyokhina article headlined "New victims" reviews a recent report by Sova, NGO monitoring nationalism and racism in Russia, which has shown that nationalists are now attacking representatives of sexual minorities and NGOs labelled as foreign agents; pp 1, 5 (892 words).

Argumenty i Fakty

1. Ivan Borodin, Alexander Kolesnichenko, Yekaterina Mirnaya and Tatyana Netreba compilation of reports on corruption among lawmakers and senior government officials; p 9 (900 words)

2. Marina Gerasimova article headlined "Israel comes to the rescue" about drug addiction in Russia. According to official data, there are 500,000 drug addicts in Russia. According to unofficial data, there are between 2 million and 2.5 million of them. But there are only 500 specialized centers that can provide treatment; p 2 in "Sto Lichnost" section (900 words)

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Dmitry Kozurov, Natalya Kudryashova and Denis Titorenko article headlined "Pugachev residents demanding all Caucasians to be expelled" subheaded "Pugachev Mutiny-2013" gave details of the latest ethnic conflict. The article says in 41,000 town of Pugachev, according to official information, there are between 100 and 150 ethnic Chechens; according to unofficial data, between 1,000 and 1,500 Chechen live in Pugachev; pp 1, 3 and 4 (1,600 words)

2. Vladimir Vorsobin article headlined "People's mayor loses freedom" about the mayor of Yaroslavl, Yevgeny Urlashov, who has been arrested over extortion charges. Urlashov is "the only mayor in the country who crushed the power of power in the elections", the article says; p 10 (2,000 words)

Krasnaya Zvezda

1. Oleg Pochinyuk article headlined "MBMS [International Maritime Defense Show] — 2013: Schedule for tomorrow" about the defense show which has just ended in St Petersburg; p 4 (2,300 words)

Moskovskye Novosti

1. Interview with father Andrei Kurayev headlined "it is time Church grew up" in which he takes a critical look at the image of the Russian Orthodox Church, Orthodox Christian activists and religious feelings; p 4 (1,600 words)