What the Papers Say, Oct. 17, 2013

Kommersant

1. Maxim Ivanov article headlined "'Against all' option gains votes" says that Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko has submitted to the State Duma a bill restoring the "against all" option in ballot papers in all kinds of elections, except presidential ones; pp 1-2 (894 words).

2. Yekaterina Gerashchenko and Khalil Aminov article headlined "Inspectors come for vegetables" says that the Federal Migration Service, police and the he Federal Consumer Protection Service (Rospotrebnadzor) have begun to carry out mass checks of the main vegetable warehouses in Moscow following mass riots in the city's district Biryulyovo over the killing of a local resident by a migrant; pp 1, 13 (711 words).

3. Tatyana Grishina and Viktor Khamrayev interview with Audit Chamber head Tatyana Golikova, headlined "'We are not insured against inspections either'", speaking about new priorities in the activities of the agency; pp 1, 4 (2,662 words).

4. Yegor Popov article headlined "'Kortezh' goes to ZiL" says that Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich has chaired a meeting on the implementation of the Kortezh project to produce cars for top officials and their escort; pp 1, 11 (634 words).

5. Yaroslav Malykh and Maxim Ivanov article headlined "Volgograd region's electoral commission does not listen to Vladimir Churov" says that despite the Central Electoral Commission's recommendation, the Volgograd region's electoral commission has refused to dismiss its chairman Andrei Sirotin over a drunken brawl initiated by him onboard an aircraft; p 2 (371 words).

6. Sofya Samokhina et al. article headlined "Mikhail Men no longer 'crisis manager'" says that governor of the Ivanovo region Mikhail Men has been dismissed ahead of schedule. It is not ruled out that he will represent the region in the Federation Council, the article says; p 2 (668 words).

7. Natalya Gorodetskaya article headlined "Cossacks plan to go to forests, border and power" says that a set of measures for the period 2014 to 2015 to implement a state strategy for the development of Russian Cossacks until 2020 has been approved; p 2 (558 words).

8. Unattributed article headlined "Who will be against all?" features comments by politicians and experts as to who will make use of the "against all" option that may be reinstated in ballot papers; p 2 (373 words).

9. Sergei Goryashko and Natalya Korchenkova article headlined "They suggest extending amnesty to the utmost" says that the presidential human rights council has made public its proposals on the general amnesty to be granted on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution; p 5 (453 words).

10. Alexander Voronov and Taisia Bekbulatova article headlined "Sergei Sobyanin reports on intentions" says that Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has delivered a report to the City Duma on the performance of the city government; p 5 (699 words).

11. Ilya Barabanov article headlined "Alexei Navalny adjusts to suspended sentence" says that the Kirov regional court has changed the verdicts of opposition activist Alexei Navalny and the head of the Vyatka timber company Pyotr Ofitserov, targeted in the KirovLes timber company case, for suspended sentences; p 5 (547 words).

12. Viktor Khamrayev article headlined "Presidential advisor recalls past of arbitration court" focuses on a lecture delivered by presidential advisor Veniamin Yakovlev to the State Duma on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution; p 5 (542 words).

13. Alexander Zheglov and Vladislav Trifonov article headlined "Evidential vegetable warehouse" says that a Moscow court will consider issuing an arrest warrant for Orkhan Zeinalov, a suspect in the killing of a Muscovite in the district of Biryulyovo; p 6 (811 words).

14. Sergei Strokan article headlined "Iranian atom breaks up 5+1 group" says that a meeting in Geneva between Iran and the 5+1 group of international mediators on the Iranian nuclear problem has not achieved a breakthrough, but the participants managed to save face and agree to continue talks in November. The talks have split the 5+1 group, article says; p 7 (546 words).

15. Yelena Chernenko article headlined "Arsenals non grata" says that the Geneva-2 international conference on Syria has been postponed once again over problems in disposing of Syrian chemical weapons. The article features Russian experts' comments on the issue; p 7 (603 words).

Nezavisimaya Gazeta

1. Vladimir Mukhin article headlined "Russia prepares military bases to defend Arctic region" says that Russia has continued developing military infrastructure in the Arctic region: the Temp airbase on Kotelniy Island is being rebuilt and the runway of the Rogachevo airfield on Novaya Zemlya has been upgraded; pp 1-2 (821 words).

2. Vladislav Maltsev article headlined "International gang attacks Orthodox temple" says that a group of armed youngsters has attacked an orthodox temple in central Moscow. This comes amid the celebration of a Muslim holiday and a number of ethnic and religious incidents that have recently happened in the city; pp 1-2 (496 words).

3. Yury Paniyev article headlined "Arms trade rules do not suit U.S. arms lobby" says that about 50 U.S. senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have warned the White House that they will not ratify the International Arms Trade Treaty, which was recently signed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, as it violates the U.S. constitution. Russia is not in a hurry to join the treaty either; pp 1-2 (542 words).

4. Ivan Rodin article headlined "Online justice on request" says that the government has suggested that any media outlets or websites should have the right to broadcast court meetings if no confidential information is mentioned there; pp 1, 3 (982 words).

5. Anastasia Bashkatova article headlined "Russian economy suffers losses due to illegal migrants" says that the Agency for Strategic Initiatives has studied business climate in Russian regions. The analytical company FinEkspertiza made a report on economic aspects of labour migration in Russia; pp 1, 4 (994 words).

6. Tatyana Ivzhenko article headlined "Europe causes clash between Kiev and Gazprom" says that this week the Ukrainian parliament will discuss how Ukraine has been fulfilling commitments before the European Energy Community. Earlier, the EU threatened Ukraine with sanctions, but now it promises funds to modernize Ukraine's gas transport system and large joint energy projects; pp 1, 5 (856 words).

7. Editorial headlined "Officials prefer loyalty not to Kremlin, but to vegetable warehouse" comments on ethnic incidents in Moscow's district Biryulyovo and in the Matveyevsky market as an illustration of a crisis in the state management system and the current fiscal policy; p 2 (509 words).

8. Petr Tverdov and Alexandra Samarina article headlined "Navalny to help Putin hold nationalization of elites" says that the Kirov regional court has passed a suspended sentence on opposition activist Alexei Navalny, targeted in the KirovLes timber company case. The verdict is a sign of an internal struggle on a higher level over Navalny, the article says; p 3 (912 words).

9. Alexei Gorbachev article headlined "From governors to senators" says that dismissed governor of the Ivanovo region Mikhail Men may become a Federation Council senator in the near future and looks at the reasons behind Men's dismissal; p 3 (726 words).

10. Anton Oleynik article published in the Carte Blanche regular column headlined "From segregation to multiculturalism" suggests four strategies to solve migration problems in Russia; p 3 (674 words).

11. Sergei Kulikov article headlined "Rating agency Fitch assesses U.S. default" says that the rating agency Fitch has warned about possible degrading of the U.S. credit rating given the threat of default in the U.S.. The move may have serious consequences for Russia too, the article says; p 4 (558 words).

12. Darya Tsilyurik article headlined "Russia not to let U.S. go to Antarctic region for 150 years" says that Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., France and the EU have increased pressure on Russia seeking to force it to sign an agreement on marine reserves in the Antarctic region; p 6 (618 words).

13. Yevgenia Novikova article headlined "They look for those involved in attack on Dutchman" says that an aide to the Dutch ambassador to Russia has been beaten in his flat in Moscow. The attackers drew a heart and an inscription "LGBT" on a mirror in his flat. The probe into the attack is under way; p 6 (727 words).

Vedomosti

1. Yelizaveta Sergina article headlined "'Consider and support'" says that the bank VTB, an owner of the Tele2 mobile phone operator, has asked President Vladimir Putin to speed up the introduction of the principle of technological neutrality; pp 1, 17 (671 words).

2. Olga Kuvshinova article headlined "Manual pension" says that the government will consider today the key law of the pension reform; pp 1, 5 (666 words).

3. Editorial headlined "Suspended sentence for Kremlin" says that the new verdict passed on opposition activist Alexei Navalny and Pyotr Ofitserov, targeted in the Kirovles timber company case, has convinced Russian society of the "manual" nature of the Russian justice; pp 1, 6 (421 words).

4. Svetlana Bocharova article headlined "Opposition for 'against all' option" says that the Communist Party and the A Just Russia party have backed a bill restoring the "against all" option in ballot papers in all elections, except presidential ones. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia has opposed the move; p 3 (300 words).

5. Lilia Biryukova and Maria Zheleznova article headlined "Amnesty for Khodorkovsky and Vasilyeva" says that some members from the presidential human rights council have disapproved of the amnesty project as those convicted of rape, extortion and terrorist attacks may go at large; p 2 (547 words).

6. Anastasia Golitsyna article headlined "Kulebaki against Wikipedia" says that the prosecutor's office of the region of Nizhny Novgorod town Kulebaki wants access to the website wikipedia.org to be blocked as it posts articles on the use of marijuana and cannabis; p 16 (574 words).

7. Maria Eysmont article headlined "Civil society: Show of retribution" says that the demonstrative detention of a suspect of the killing of a Muscovite in the district of Biryulyovo, broadcast by all television channels, has meant to show the efficiency of law-enforcement agencies, but it has nothing to do with a triumph of justice; p 7 (429 words).

8. Editorial headlined "School of diplomacy" comments on an attack on an aide to the Dutch ambassador to Russia in his flat in Moscow and says that Russia is trying to make the principle "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" fundamental for its diplomacy, probably, to command more respect to it, but it is a failed strategy; p 6 (297 words).

9. Maria Dranishnikova and Bela Lyauv article headlined "Sports instead of vegetables" says that a vegetable warehouse in Moscow's district Biryulyovo, which locals blame for the unfavourable crime situation in the area, will be shut down and a sports facility will be built instead; p 10 (512 words).

10. Anastasia Kornya article headlined "Suspended candidate" says that having got a suspended sentence, Alexei Navalny cannot stand in elections during the next five years, thus he will not participate in the Moscow City Duma election in 2014; p 3 (481 words).

11. Vadim Volkov and Maria Shklyaruk article headlined "Extra Jus: Police inactivity as goods" says that along with migrants' dominance, the law-enforcement agencies' inability to ensure law and order is behind protests and riots in various Russian regions; p 7 (927 words).

12. Mikhail Serov and Yelena Khodyakova article headlined "Sechin fights for gas exchange" says that Rosneft head Igor Sechin has suggested establishing a global gas exchange and features Russian experts' comments on the issue; p 13 (431 words).

Izvestia

1. Tatyana Shirmanova article headlined "Sergei Shoigu described as best once again" says that according to a public opinion poll conducted by the state pollster VTsIOM, defense Minister Sergei Shoigu executes his duties best of all. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Emergencies Minister Vladimir Pushkov have been ranked the second and the third, respectively. Education Minister Dmitry Livanov executes his duty worst of all; pp 1, 3 (646 words).

2. Petr Kozlov article headlined "ONF asks not to feel sorry for those involved in high-profile cases" says that the All-Russia People's Front (ONF) plans to ask Supreme Court chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev to recommend that judges avoid "unjustifiably light penalties" for those who have been found guilty of high-profile ethnic crimes; pp 1, 3 (481 words).

3. Political analyst Andranik Migranyan article headlined "Painful farewell to myth about exceptionalism" says that basic ideas, which compose the myth about the American dream and the American exceptionalism, do not match reality; pp 1, 7 (1,142 words).

4. Anastasia Kashevarova and Andrei Gridasov article headlined "Court turns Navalny into systemic politician" says that the Kremlin, opposition activist Alexei Navalny, who has a suspended sentence, and experts do not see the verdict as a sign of the well-thought plan of a "political thaw" in relations between the Russian authorities and the opposition; pp 1, 5 (1,219 words).

5. Natalya Bashlykova article headlined "Mikhail Men bids farewell to region ahead of time" says that former head of the Ivanovo region legislative assembly, Pavel Konkov, may succeed dismissed governor Mikhail Men to the post; p 5 (1,064 words).

6. Natalia Oss article headlined "Not to go mad" says that even if law and order had been introduced in Russia and migrants had been only legal ones, this would not have improved the migration situation in Russia until people's mind and views are changed; p 8 (929 words).

7. Eduard Limonov article headlined "Suspended Navalny" looks at a court meeting at which the verdict has been passed on Alexei Navalny; p 8 (658 words).

8. Pavel Kochegarov report "Management of Pokrovskaya warehouse detained for illegal labour migrants" says that the Investigative Committee and police continue "anti-criminal efforts" in the wholesale warehouse Pokrovskaya in Moscow's district Biryulyovo; p 9 (600 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta

1. Marina Gritsyuk et al. article headlined "We are out of place" describes how illegal migrants can obtain necessary documents in Russia; pp 1, 5 (1,556 words).

2. Tamara Mikhaylova article headlined "What rescuers saved" says that Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov has delivered a report to the State Duma; p 3 (566 words).

3. Andrei Andreyev article headlined "At large. Conditionally" says that opposition activist Alexei Navalny and general director of the Vyatka timber company Pyotr Ofitserov have received suspended sentences; p 3 (640 words).

4. Vitaly Petrov report "Without extreme emotions" says that the Federation Council has discussed the situation in Moscow's district Biryulyovo where mass disturbances have recently occurred; p 3 (850 words).

5. Natalya Kozlova article headlined "He cannot remember this" says that detained Orkhan Zeinalov, a suspect in the killing of a Muscovite in Moscow's district Biryulyovo, has "forgotten" the Russian language, although he has been living in Russia for 10 years now. Investigators had to have all documents translated for him; p 6 (1,186 words).

6. Timofei Borisov and Vladislav Vorobyev article headlined "Unlucky Dutchman" focuses on an attack in Moscow on an aide to the Dutch ambassador to Russia; p 6 (455 words).

7. Sergei Ptichkin article headlined "If fight, then with comfort" says that the first Russian Mistral-class helicopter carrier has been commissioned; p 7 (380 words).

8. Anna Fedyakina article headlined "Near very ceiling" says that U.S. lawmakers have finally compromised on the U.S. budget and the state debt limit; p 8 (564 words).

9. Lyubov Protsenko report "Three years have passed" looks at Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's report delivered at the City Duma; p 10 (2,000 words).

Moskovsky Komsomolets

1. Alexander Minkin article headlined "Justice comes. In hammered boots", written as a letter to Putin, comments on the suspended sentence passed on Alexei Navalny and recalls political heavyweights nurtured by Putin; pp 1-2 (856 words).

2. Mikhail Zubov article headlined "Will 'against all' candidate become president?" tries to explain why the authorities want to restore the "against all" option in ballot papers; pp 1, 3 (604 words).

3. Yulia Afanasyeva and Anastasia Gnedinskaya article headlined "'I must see killer of my life'" describes how the killer of a Muscovite in the district Biryulyovo has been caught; pp 1, 7 (682 words).

4. Alexei Steynert article headlined "Shame storms into temple" details the incident involving Muslims, who organized a shooting in an Orthodox temple in central Moscow; pp 1, 5 (628 words).

5. Nikolay Vardul article headlined "Is Oct. 17 end of world?" looks at the aftermath of the U.S. default if it happened on Oct. 17 ; pp 1, 3 (723 words).

6. Natalya Rozhkova article headlined "Hook for Navalny" outlines a court session, at which suspended sentences have been passed on Alexei Navalny and general director of the Vyatka timber company Pyotr Ofitserov; p 2 (764 words).

7. Ilya Baranikas article headlined "Deadline before default" looks at the situation in the U.S., where the Republicans and the Democrats are bargaining about the U.S. budget and the state debt limit; p 3 (615 words).

8. Igor Subotin and Leonid Mikulyak article headlined "Society of Russian-Dutch enmity" says that an attack on a Dutch diplomat in Moscow has a hidden political motive; p 3 (371 words).

9. Matvey Ganapolsky article headlined "Visas introduced... in error" defends migrants in Russia and suggests ways to improve the migration situation in the country; p 3 (1,330 words).

10. Yelena Yegorova report "Sergei Sobyanin presents three-year 'development budget'" looks at Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's report delivered at the City Duma; p 6 (1,300 words).

11. Marina Kuznetsova report "Zeinalov is liar and reckless driver" says that Orkhan Zeinalov, detained for the murder of a Muscovite, has been imprisoned before for injuring two people in a traffic accident in Moscow; p 7 (350 words).

12. Irina Bobrova interview with Muscovite Alexei Pronkin, who has helped police detain Orkhan Zeinalov; p 7 (300 words).

Noviye Izvestia

1. Veronika Vorontsova article headlined "Homeless year" reports on housing problems of flood victims in Russia's Far East; pp 1, 5 (1,074 words).

2. Yekaterina Dyatlovskaya article headlined "Real price of suspended sentence" says that having got suspended sentences, opposition activist Alexei Navalny and his colleague Pyotr Ofitserov plan to seek absolute acquittal; pp 1-2 (528 words).

3. Anna Alexeyeva article headlined "Direction of main blow" says that criminal proceedings have been instituted against the management of a vegetable warehouse in Moscow's Biryulovo district , where a migrant has killed a local man; pp 1, 5 (559 words).

4. Konstantin Nikolayev article headlined "Blow for blow?" says that a Dutch diplomat has been beaten in Moscow. This comes amid a recent scandal over the beating of a Russian diplomat in the Netherlands; p 2 (430 words).

5. Mikhail Nikiforenko article headlined "Under sign of five rings" says that the Russian authorities are interested in granting amnesty given the forthcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, and features Russian experts' comments on the issue; p 2 (520 words).

6. Yulia Savina article headlined "'Law-making turned into floor cloth'" provides experts' comments on the initiative to restore the "against all" option in ballot papers in all elections, except presidential ones; p 2 (657 words).

7. Sergei Manukov article headlined "Good bye, America?" says that an uncertain financial situation in the U.S. has seriously damaged the country's reputation; p 3 (461 words).

RBK Daily

1. Alexander Litoy report "Navalny's conditionality" looks at the verdict in the case against Alexei Navalny and features politicians' and analysts' comments; pp 1-2 (1,100 words).

Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. Unattributed article "Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on owners of vegetable warehouse in Biryulyovo: 'Some of them in hiding, some in prison'" looks at Sobyanin's speech at the City Duma; pp 1, 9 (500 words).

Krasnaya Zvezda

1. Yelizaveta Orlova report "Everything was business-like" looks at the talks between the 5+1 group and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear program in Geneva; p 3 (650 words).

Rossiiskaya Gazeta weekly

1. Natalya Kozlova report "One, two, detained" looks at the police operation to detain Orkhan Zeinalov, suspected of the murder of a Muscovite in Biryulyovo; pp 1, 4 (800 words).

Tvoi Den

1. Tamara Yesina report "'I hit him with knife'" looks at the questioning of Orkhan Zeinalov, suspected of the murder of a Muscovite in the city's district of Biryulyovo; pp 1, 4-5 (500 words).