What the Papers Say, Oct. 3, 2013

Kommersant

1. Maria Yakovleva et al. article headlined "Pension front of Russia" says that the sale of the private pension fund Stalfond, owned by the steel company Severstal, has been halted due to the recent pension novelties approved by the government; pp 1, 10 (816 words).

2. Andrei Kolesnikov article headlined "Investors grumble with billions" gives an account of President Vladimir Putin's visit to the investment forum "Russia Calling" organized by the bank VTB, noting that Putin was frank in his answers and made it clear that he supports the course towards stability rather than democracy, as this attracts foreign investors; pp 1, 3 (2,074 words).

3. Dmitry Butrin article headlined "VEB to get its deserts not earlier than summer" looks ahead at a meeting of the VEB bank's supervisory board to discuss the bank's re-capitalization and changes in its development strategy; pp 1, 3 (661 words).

4. Kirill Belyaninov et al. article headlined "FIFA official's past as prosecutor to be taken into account" says that the chairman of the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Michael Garcia, has been put on a blacklist of U.S. officials who are banned from entering Russia in response to the Magnitsky Act. Garcia was the federal prosecutor of New York's southern district and took part in the trial of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout ; pp 1, 7 (720 words).

5. St.Petersburg-based Anna Pushkarskaya article headlined "Merger of supreme courts to happen superficially" says that at the investment forum "Russia Calling", President Putin denied that the Supreme Arbitration Court and the High Arbitration Court will be "fully" merged; p 2 (605 words).

6. Natalya Gorodetskaya and Maxim Ivanov article headlined "Reforms nominated for next elections" says that the St. Petersburg Politics fund has concluded that the Sept. 8 regional elections have affected the political stability in a number of Russian regions. Meanwhile, former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin's Civil Initiatives Committee will sum up the results of the Sept. 8 elections and will present a set of measures to modernize the electoral system today; p 2 (587 words).

7. Maria Polous and Dmitry Komarov article headlined "Yevgeny Roizman admitted peacefully" says that governor of the Sverdlovsk region Yevgeny Kuyvashev has met Yekaterinburg mayor Yevgeny Roizman despite a year-long conflict; p 2 (470 words).

8. Alexander Zheglov article headlined "Moscow's main detective lacks the health to be a boss" says that the head of the Moscow Criminal Investigation department, Alexander Trushkin, who is believed to be Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev's close associate, has voluntarily resigned over health problems. However, a conflict with the head of the Moscow Main Interior Directorate could be a real reason behind the move, the article says; p 6 (551 words).

9. Kirill Belyaninov article headlined "U.S. to cut down GDP" says that the U.S. budget row may result in a 0.5 percent slowdown in the tempo of other countries' economic growth; p 7 (500 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Yevgenia Novikova article headlined "Chemical weapons experts fear jihadists in Syria" says that experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have begun to destroy chemical weapons in Syria. According to them, the most important problem is their security as only one of 400 militant groups has promised not to attack UN inspectors; p 1, 2 (685 words).

2. Ivan Rodin article headlined "President still to visit United Russia party congress" says that President Putin will meet today the heads of grassroot organizations of the ruling United Russia party as part of the United Russia party congress, but will not attend the main meeting on Oct. 5 ; p 1, 3 (861 words).

3. Alexandra Samarina article headlined "Hands off oil industry!" says that Greenpeace activists who tried to board an oil rig in the Pechora Sea have been charged with piracy, but they will most likely get away with a fine; p 1, 3 (859 words).

4. Sergei Kulikov article headlined "Putin overcomes acute stage of crisis" looks at President Putin's statements on the economic situation in Russia and in the world made at the investment forum "Russia calling"; p 1, 4 (736 words).

5. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Moscow to put trade barriers before Kiev" says that if Ukraine signs an agreement on integration with the EU in November, the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will introduce new rules for delivering Ukraine-made livestock products to their markets; p 1, 6 (1,143 words).

6. Editorial headlined "Kremlin capitulates to Muscovites?" says that the head of the presidential administration Sergei Ivanov's anti-Moscow rhetoric in an interview given to four media outlets may be linked to the Kremlin's displeasure with those Muscovites who show free thinking and are critical of the ruling authorities; p 2 (467 words).

7. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "European leadership accused of feebleness" says that European lawmakers are displeased with the performance of the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton as regards Russia. A new tough resolution on Russia may be passed in November to December; p 3 (583 words).

8. Sergei Kulikov report headlined "Premier likes smell of oil" focuses on Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Astrakhan Region, where oil production in the Caspian Sea was discussed; p 4 (522 words).

9. Mikhail Sergeiev article headlined "Comparison with China goes against Russia" looks at agreements and differences between Russia's and China's industrial policy; p 4 (783 words).

10. Svetlana Gavrilina article headlined "Split of St. Petersburg liberals begins in 1993" says that the Left Front movement and other left-wing forces in St. Petersburg will hold a rally today, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the attempted armed coup in Moscow in 1993; p 5 (567 words).

11. Yury Roks article headlined "PACE stands up for Georgia" says that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has passed a resolution that expresses concern about Russia's non-fulfilment of agreements achieved after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war and about pressure being exerted on Georgia by Russia; p 6 (710 words).

12. Yury Paniyev article headlined "Fiscal hard times come in U.S." says that a confrontation between the Democrats and the Republicans in the U.S. Congress over a new budget is continuing. The Russian finance minister thinks that the U.S. government shutdown will affect neither the U.S. nor the Russian economies; p 7 (756 words).

Vedomosti

1. Tatyana Voronova et al. article headlined "Rosselkhozbank to take Central Bank's offices" says that Rosselkhozbank needs to be re-capitalized. Instead of money, the bank may be given property of the closed down offices of the Central Bank; pp 1, 15 (662 words).

2. Alexei Nikolsky article headlined "Insurance decodes rocket" says that a new strategic intercontinental ballistic missile will be named RS-26. This has become known from the details of the Defence Ministry's tender to insure responsibility for missile launches; pp 1-2 (601 words).

3. Editorial headlined "Material ties" comments on the recent rise in salaries of public sector employees and heads of the law enforcement and security agencies in Russia; pp 1, 6 (421 words).

4. Liliya Biryukova and Maxim Glikin article headlined "Advice before congress" looks ahead at President Putin's meeting with the leadership of the ruling United Russia party's grassroot organizations, to be held today; p 3 (456 words).

5. Margarita Papchenkova et al. article headlined "Offshore area Skolkovo" says that subsidiaries of Russian companies participating in the innovation project Skolkovo will be granted tax privileges similar to those that residents of the Skolkovo innovation city have; p 5 (673 words).

6. Alexei Zakharov article headlined "Cause and effect: academic temptation" contemplates reforms in the Russian Academy of Sciences. They may result in the flight of Russian scientists abroad and President Putin will be responsible for this as it is he who initiated the reforms in the academy, the author says; p 7 (745 words).

7. Olga Proskurnina interview with PACE chairman Jean-Claude Mignon, headlined "'Russia today is big power, it is there any time'", who speaks about State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin's speech at the PACE session and relations with Russia in general; pp 8-9 (2,157 words).

8. Galina Starinskaya article headlined "Lukoil enters Caspian Sea" says that a joint venture established by the oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft and the gas giant Gazprom has obtained a licence to develop oil fields on the shelf of the northern part of the Caspian Sea; p 12 (465 words).

Izvestia

1. Andrei Gridasov article headlined "Moscow's main detective resigns" contemplates reasons behind the voluntary resignation of the head of the Moscow Criminal Investigation department, Alexander Trushkin; p 1 (452 words).

2. Anastasia Alexeievskikh article headlined "Elvira Nabiullina declares war on shady dealings" says that the Central Bank will compile a blacklist of Russian companies suspected of money laundering and money withdrawal abroad; pp 1, 3 (564 words).

3. Natalya Bashlykova article headlined "Rotation being prepared for governors" says that the term in office of 11 governors expires in 2012 and looks at regional heads' prospects for being re-elected; pp 1-2 (707 words).

4. Natalya Bashlykova article headlined "Mikhail Men may resign ahead of time" says that Ivanovo Region governor Mikhail Men may resign ahead of time shortly and become a regional duma deputy and then a Federation Council senator from the region; p 2 (623 words).

5. Yegor Sozayev-Guryev article headlined "Vladimir Putin promises not to allow pension deception" focuses on President Putin's statements made at the investment forum "Russia Calling"; p 2 (513 words).

6. Alexandra Yermakova article headlined "Case opened against exiled Rosreestr official" says that criminal proceedings on negligence charges have been instituted against former deputy head of the Federal Registration, Cadaster and Cartography Service, Sergei Sapelnikov, who went abroad without obtaining permission from the Federal Security Service and the Economic Development Ministry as he is a bearer of state secrets; p 3 (503 words).

7. Pavel Chernyshov article headlined "Americans are in hurry to invest in Russian production" says that U.S. companies have begun to invest more actively in the Russian economy; p 6 (545 words).

8. Eduard Limonov article headlined "Russians shoot at Russians" recalls the violent events of the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993 as an eyewitness; p 9 (705 words).

9. Political analyst Boris Mezhuyev article headlined "Twentieth anniversary of national shame" focuses on the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; p 9 (878 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Galina Bryntseva interview with Sergei Filatov, the head of President Boris Yeltsin's administration in 1993, headlined "Letter from 1993", who recalls the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; pp 1, 7 (1,308 words).

2. Natural Resources and Ecology Minister Sergei Donskoy article headlined "To start 'liquidation'" details an initiative to oblige natural resources developers to liquidate the consequences of development of new fields and re-cultivate developed areas; pp 1, 4 (1,290 words).

3. Vladimir Kuzmin article headlined "After Prirazlomnaya" says that criminal responsibility for illegal infiltration to oil and gas rigs may be toughened following the Greenpeace incident at the Prirazlomnaya platform; p 3 (750 words).

4. Yelena Berezina interview with Vagit Alekperov, the president of the leading Russian oil company LuKoil and the organizer of the first international conference "Social Innovation", to be held in Moscow on Oct. 9, headlined "Good in fashion", who speaks about the conference; p 5 (1,138 words).

5. Yekaterina Dobrynina article headlined "Undecided" looks at public opinion polls conducted by the Levada Centre and the VTsIOM state public opinion research centre to learn Russians' views of the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; p 7 (437 words).

6. Yevgeny Shestakov article headlined "U.S. officials banned from working" says that the controversy over a new U.S. budget is ideological and which party shows grit during the crisis will determine the outcome of the future presidential election in the U.S.; p 8 (635 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta (weekly)

1. Larisa Kaftan interview with historian Vladimir Lavrov, a chief researcher from the Institute of Russian History at the Russian Academy of Sciences, headlined "Two-day civil war", speaking about the 20th anniversary of the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; p 7 (784 words).

2. Petr Orlov interview with the member of the presidential human rights council, Yevgeny Myslovsky, headlined "Hunger strike or provocation" and devoted to jailed Pussy Riot punk band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova's hunger strike against alleged death threats and conditions in her penal colony; p 11 (600 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Mikhail Zubov interview with former chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Russia, Ruslan Khasbulatov, and President Boris Yeltsin's security chief, Alexander Korzhakov, headlined "'Guns of 1993 still to serve Putin'", speaking about the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; pp 1, 6 ().

2. Alexander Minkin article headlined "Deserved applause" comments on State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin's statements on gay rights in Russia, made at a PACE session; pp 1, 3 (600 words).

3. Mikhail Zubov article headlined "Putin invited to Russian March" says that nationalists will hold a Russian March rally on Nov. 4 ; p 2 (200 words).

4. Irina Rinayeva article headlined "Jihad declared to Russian financial system" says that a group of hackers, who call themselves "Anonymous Caucasus", has claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on the websites of Russia's largest banks; p 2 (200 words).

5. Viktoria Prikhodko article headlined "Khodorkovsky not to be imprisoned forever" says that judging by Putin's statements made at the investment forum "Russia Calling", former Yukos head Mikhail Khodorkovsky could have a chance of being granted amnesty; p 2 (400 words).

6. Natalya Rozhkova article headlined "Prisoners earn for flat in Miami" says that according to opposition leader Alexei Navalny, former State Duma deputy for United Russia, Vladimir Golovnev, who owns a company that sells work garments, on which convicted women in the penal colony in the Republic of Mordovia where Pussy Riot punk group member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is serving her term, are working, has a flat in the U.S.; p 2 (300 words).

7. Ilya Baranikas article headlined "America held hostage" details the budgetary crisis in the U.S.; p 3 (700 words).

8. Kirill Saltykov article headlined "Tolokonnikova deprived of defence" says that the administration of the penal colony in the Republic of Mordovia, where Pussy Riot punk group member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is serving her term, does not permit the woman's lawyers to meet her; p 3 (300 words).

9. Politician Grigory Yavlinsky article headlined "Populist psychosis leads to bitter disappointment" looks at the reasons behind the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; p 3 (800 words).

10. Yelena Yegorova interview with former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, headlined "'Both sides were guilty'", who speaks about the attempted armed coup in Moscow in October 1993; p 6 (950 words).

Noviye Izvestia

1. Nadezhda Bulanova article headlined "Environmentalists and system" says that Greenpeace activists who tried to board an oil rig in the Pechora Sea have been charged with piracy; pp 1, 5 (465 words).

2. Irina Aleksidze article headlined "Dry cargo ship of problems" says that a dry cargo ship with Russian crew aboard has been detained by Georgia. This comes amid the Russian-Georgian row over State Duma member Vasily Likhachev's cancelled visit to Tbilisi; p 2 (450 words).

3. Valentina Shakhova article headlined "For 'absurd stuff and nonsense'" reports on a court meeting in the trial against one of the defendants in the so-called Bolotnaya case of the May 6 unrest in Moscow's Bolotnaya square, Mikhail Kosenko. The verdict on Kosenko is expected to be announced on Oct. 8 ; p 2 (649 words).

4. Yulia Savina article headlined "At top virtual level" says that Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov has been ranked first in a quotation rating compiled by the independent media analysis company Medialogia, followed by governor of Krasnodar governor Alexander Tkachev and the Novgorod regional governor Sergei Minin; p 2 (471 words).

RBK Daily

1. Yevgeny Novikov article headlined "Speech of year thirteen" reviews the speech by President Vladimir Putin at the investment forum "Russia Calling"; p 1 (300 words).

2. Inga Vorobyeva article headlined "We value all kinds of roads" reviews Putin's question-and-answer session at the "Russia Calling"; p 3 (500 words).

3. Yulia Sinyayeva article headlined "Authorities to protect oil people from environmentalists" says that in light of the recent Greenpeace action against a Russian oil platform Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered tougher sanctions for interventions at oil and gas facilities; p 3 (400 words).

Trud

1. Sergei Frolov op-ed headlined "Nothing personal" says the new privacy legislation has entered into force to protect officials from public attention; p 2 (500 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda (weekly)

1. Anna Veligzhanina et al. article headlined "Plane with 20 billion euros detained in Moscow" discusses recent allegations that an aircraft with a huge sum of money was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport; pp 1-4 (1,800 words).