What the Papers Say, Oct. 8, 2013

Kommersant

1. Anna Pushkarskaya et al. report headlined "They will do without Supreme Arbitration Court" details constitutional amendments Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted to the State Duma to hand down the powers of the Supreme Arbitration Court to the Supreme Court; pp 1-2 (885 words).

2. Ivan Buranov article headlined "Government takes scooter drivers for ride" says plans to issue separate driving licences for scooter owners have been disrupted in Russia as the authorities have failed to adopt relevant educational programs; pp 1, 5 (627 words).

3. Yegor Popov and Kirill Melnikov article headlined "Rosneft wants to become queen of seas" says Russian oil company Rosneft has come up with a proposal to step up government control over ship fuel and to leave only the largest oil companies on the market. Rosneft has accused small independent companies of dumping fuel prices; pp 1, 9 (661 words).

4. Vladislav Noviy et al. report headlined "Svyaznoy gives agreement" says Svyaznoy group of companies and Mikhail Prokhorov's Onexim group are planning to set up a joint holding company to provide Russians with banking services; pp 1, 9 (637 words).

5. Musa Muradov and Ivan Safronov article headlined "General Staff chief keeps his people" says the commander of Russia's Eastern Military District Admiral Konstantin Sidenko is to be replaced by the chief of the general headquarters of the district, Sergei Surovikin; p 2 (546 words).

6. Maxim Ivanov and Dmitry Pashinsky article headlined "Deputies late with foreign assets reports" says that not all the State Duma deputies have provided information on their foreign assets in accordance with law; p 2 (574 words).

7. Taisia Bekbulatova and Sergei Goryashko article headlined "Police creep into NGO supervision" says a bill on the so-called people guards passed by the State Duma in the first reading allows the police to draw reports against NGOs. The United Russia deputies say it is a mistake that will be corrected in the second reading; p 5 (636 words).

8. Yelena Chernenko interview with Vygaudas Usackas, new EU envoy to Moscow, speaking on the Russian-European relations and prospects for visa-free travel; p 7 (900 words).

9. Tatyana Yedovina article headlined "APEC investors invited to build Baykal-Amur Mainline and Trans-Siberian Railway" says President Vladimir Putin has spoken on transport opportunities offered by Russian railways in his address to participants of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali; p 8 (386 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Alexandra Samarina and Ivan Rodin article headlined "They set their sights on the constitution" says that by proposing constitutional amendments President Putin has opened an era of amending the main Russian law. The changes of the judicial system proposed by Putin aim to make the power even more centralized, the authors say; pp 1, 3 (900 words).

2. Vladimir Mukhin article headlined "Russia to strengthen Iranian air defense with newest systems" says Moscow will supply Iran not with S-300 missile defense systems but with more up-to-date Antey-2500 systems. The two countries have come to an agreement on the deliveries; pp 1-2 (738 words).

3. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "They demand specifics from Navalny" says opposition activist Alexei Navalny has been offered the post of co-chairman of the People's Freedom Party. However, Navalny is expected to try to register his own party ahead of the Moscow City Duma election. Authorities may help Navalny as otherwise the democratic alliance can get good chances for voters' support at the upcoming election; pp 1, 3 (647 words).

4. Anastasia Bashkatova article headlined "They risk trust in government for $8 billion" criticizes Russian authorities over their decision to spend the pension savings of working people on paying pensions to those who are already retired. According to the author, there was no need to undermine public trust in the pensions system; pp 1, 4 (834 words).

5. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "There are other possibilities for Ukraine rather than IMF" says Ukraine is applying for another IMF loan but at the same time is looking for other sources of financing; pp 1, 6 (736 words).

6. Yury Paniyev article headlined "Military scenario unacceptable in Syria" says Moscow and Washington are satisfied with the liquidation of chemical weapons which has begun in Syria. The issue was discussed at the talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Bali; pp 1, 7 (682 words).

7. Editorial headlined "Sociology continues fooling both authorities and society" reviews a recent poll by Levada center showing that 30 percent of the polled are ready to support Putin, and only 1 to 3 percent — support opposition candidates like Navalny. But the article notes that a large number of those who are undecided about their choice make sociological surveys inaccurate; p 2 (512 words).

8. Artur Blinov article headlined "Putin's birthday celebrated in Bali" says Russia has offered its resources, mainly its gas, to partners at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit; p 7 (506 words).

Vedomosti

1. Anastasia Kornya et al. report headlined "Arbitration deal with justice" says a merger of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Arbitration Court proposed by President Putin will take six months, and the chairman of the Supreme Arbitration Court Anton Ivanov will hardly receive a post in the new court; pp 1, 3 (600 words).

2. Editorial headlined "Two in one" looks into consequences of a merger of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Arbitration Court saying that arbitration courts have tried to be impartial evaluators during property and tax disputes; pp 1, 6 (358 words).

3. Yelizaveta Sergina article headlined "Rostelekom stakes on service" says Rostelekom communications giant does not plan to make large investments in construction of new networks but expects to make money on internet access and other services; pp 1, 17 (412 words).

4. Maxim Tovkaylo and Margarita Papchenkova article headlined "Social and oil obligations" says the slowdown of the Russian economy will not lead to the budget deficit this year; p 4 (400 words).

5. Another editorial headlined "Laboratory of alienation" criticizes Moscow's policy in the North Caucasus and notes that methods used by the Kremlin to buy loyalty in some republics do not work; p 6 (297 words).

Izvestia

1. Natalya Bashlykova article headlined "Scandals and protest rallies decrease governors' influence" says newly elected Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and governor of the Moscow region Andrei Vorobyev top the rating of Russian regional heads; pp 1, 3 (796 words).

2. Svetlana Povoraznyuk article headlined "Banned Lithuanian products to stay in shops" says Russian food stores continue selling Lithuanian dairy products whose import has been prohibited by the Rospotrebnadzor consumer watchdog; pp 1, 4 (556 words).

3. Sergei Podosenov article headlined "Bolotnaya prisoners and Pussy Riot break up human rights council" says members of the presidential human rights council cannot come to agreement on their proposals on amnesty for members of the Pussy Riot group and other opposition activists; p 5 (665 words).

4. Yelizaveta Mayetnaya and German Petelin article headlined "Revolution coming in prisons" says that penal authorities are planning to increase salaries of prisoner workers following a complaint by Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the jailed member of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot; p 5 (900 words).

5. Konstantin Volkov article headlined "U.S. promises to chase terrorists all over the world" says U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has commented on his country's special operations in Somalia and Libya and noted that the U.S. will try to find terrorists in any parts of the world; p 7 (440 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Yelena Kukol interview with Communications Minister Nikolay Nikiforov speaking on new trends in mobile communications and prospects for the development of distance education; pp 1, 4 (700 words).

2. Vladislav Kulikov article headlined "Bailiffs carry out special operation" details a new bill regulating the work of bailiffs in Russia and new powers they will have; pp 1, 9 (300 words).

3. Article by political scientist Leonid Radzikhovsky headlined "Uneasy unions" calls Ukraine's foreign policy aimed at the European integration a "European carrot" and says that Moscow's policy is viewed as a "stick" in Kiev; p 3 (500 words).

4. Article by academician Yevgeny Primakov headlined "Security and development — interdependent aims" speaks on a need for cooperation between the military industrial complex and civilian industries to raise GDP; p 5 (1,100 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Mikhail Rostovsky article headlined "Medvedev to be sacked?" says that Dmitry Medvedev is likely to be dismissed as prime minister and appointed chairman of the merged Supreme Court and the Supreme Arbitration Court ; pp 1-2 (449 words).

2. Mikhail Zubov article headlined "A Just Russia ready to overthrow Levichev" says a number of prominent members of the A Just Russia party have spoken in favour of changing leadership of the party; p 2 (200 words).

3. Lev Ponomarev op-ed headlined "Gulag which is always with you" criticizes conditions in the Russian penal colonies; p 3 (800 words).

RBK Daily

1. Yekaterina Metelitsa report "Pension mop-up" says that the Russian Pension Fund will reduce the number of management companies investing people's pension savings; pp 1, 7 (750 words).

2. Alexander Litoy report "Technical mistake against foreign agents" says that opposition deputy Dmitry Gudkov has discovered "the Trojan horse" in the bill regulating activities of voluntary patrols. Under the bill, police will have a right to check "foreign agent" NGOs and fine them up to 500,000 rubles ; p 2 (600 words).

3. Inga Vorobyeva report "People's APEC" says that at the summit in Bali, APEC leaders have congratulated Vladimir Putin on his 61st birthday. Article also looks at Putin's meeting with businessmen; p 3 (450 words).

Noviye Izvestiya

1. Sergei Putilov report "Multiply by zero" says that over 240 billion rubles "borrowed" from future pensioners will be spent to set up a certain anti-crisis fund; pp 1, 3 (500 words).

2. Anna Alexeieva report "Russian-prison dictionary" says that arrested Greenpeace activists have complained that they are being held in Russian prisons in humiliating conditions; p 5 (650 words).

3. Olga Goncharova report "Nadezhda Tolokonnikova placed in prison's maternity ward" says that according to lawyers, jailed Pussy Riot band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has been placed in the maternity ward of the prison in Mordovia. Meanwhile, lawyers say they have not been allowed to see her for 11 days; p 5 (400 words).

4. Yulia Savina article "Work as birthday gift" says that Putin has participated in the APEC summit in Indonesia, which coincided with his 61st birthday; p 2 (450 words).

Moskovskiye Novosti

1. Alexandra Beluza report "United Russia at fork in road" looks at the recent United Russia congress; pp B2-B3 (1,700 words).

2. Irina Granik report "Supreme auditor" says that Audit Chamber head Tatyana Golikova has received broad powers to control the effectiveness of budget spending; pp B4-B5 (1,600 words).

3. Yelena Malysheva report "American government to open after maintenance" looks at the political crisis in the U.S., accompanied by partial suspension of the activities of state bodies, and says that it does not pose a threat to the economy; pp B6-B7 (1,300 words).

Krasnaya Zvezda

1. Viktor Ruchkin report "Bombs go under cutter" looks at the meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart John Kerry on the sidelines of the APEC summit, during which they discussed the situation in Syria and the importance of the Geneva-2 conference; pp 1, 3 (850 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Maxim Volodin brief report "President becomes wiser" says that according to a poll conducted by the All-Russia center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), Russians believe that Putin has become "wiser"; p 2 (150 words).

2. Yelena Krivyakina report "Russia, U.S. agree not to wage war in Syria" looks at the meeting on Syria between Russian and U.S. foreign ministers on the sidelines of the APEC summit; p 2 (250 words).

3. Yelena Chinkova report "Graffiti as present" says that artists have painted the portraits of Putin in the streets of Europe's six big cities; p 3 (450 words).

4. Sergei Semushkin report "Arbitration and Supreme courts to be merged" says that Putin has tabled a bill with the State Duma on the amendment to the constitution regarding the Supreme Court and the prosecutor's office; p 3 (200 words).

5. Alexei Mavliyev report "They call on Muslims not to be silent. Why?" says that recruiters of the banned extremist organization Hezb-e Tahrir have been spotted during one-man pickets in St. Petersburg; p 7 (300 words).

Trud

1. Sergei Frolov article headlined "Russians believe Putin has grown wiser" looks at a poll conducted by the pollster VTsIOM dedicated to Vladimir Putin; p 2 (450 words).