POLITICS
The head of the Russian North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, said he is not sure whether he would run in the 2013 elections to the post of the republic’s head. Experts say this means Yevkurov has not received backing from the Kremlin for a second term.
(Kommersant)
When Georgia elects a new parliament on Monday, the small South Caucasus nation is likely to get the most global attention it has received since its 2008 war with Russia. The vote has been labeled historic because the parliament will elect a prime minister who, thanks to a 2010 constitutional reform, will become more powerful than the president.
(The Moscow Times)
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Russia’s AAR consortium will hold talks with a pool of banks to take a loan to buy BP’s 50-percent share in TNK-BP.
(Kommersant)
SOCIETY
Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said preparations for the 2018 World Cup would cost 600 billion rubles ($19 billion), about double the estimate Vladimir Putin gave when Russia was awarded the month-long football tournament in 2010.
(The Moscow Times)
The Labor Ministry insists on a new pension reform requiring a 40-year working record. The government has sent President Vladimir Putin a draft pension system development strategy until 2030 signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. But the document has not been discussed with employers and employees.
(Kommersant)
The State Duma voted to suspend the right of opposition lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov to speak in parliament for a month and named the head of a newly formed committee to oversee mass media.
(The Moscow Times)
The Belarusian opposition split into two camps: one planning to push for regime change through tough political struggle with Alexander Lukashenko and the other having no plans to confront the authorities.
(Kommersant)
A draft law banning state officials from having real estate and banking accounts abroad, which has been submitted to the State Duma, is a very serious attempt to restrict the rights of Russian bureaucrats. The initiative is expected to have broad popular support but will question the loyalty of many officials.
(Moskovskiye Novosti)
IT
The Communications Ministry has worked out a mechanism to block sites with forbidden content. Key proposals from internet companies and operators have not been taken into account.
(Vedomosti)
DEFENSE
The Defense Ministry plans to draft 140,000 conscripts this fall, which is 15,000 fewer than in spring 2012. This appears to be in line with the ministry’s campaign to gradually replace conscripts with contract servicemen.
(Kommersant)
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