Chechnya Integrates Into Legal And Economic Space Of Russia

Federal minister on Chechnya Vladimir Yelagin sees one of the important tasks today in creating conditions for Chechnya's integration into the entire legal and economic space of the Russian Federation. In an interview with RIA Novosti on Thursday, he formulated the first step as forming the power bodies in the republic and, in particular, the government of Chechnya headed by Stanislav Ilyasov. Thursday marks a year since Vladimir Yelagin took office as the federal minister on coordinating the work of executives on the social and economic development in Chechnya. At the present time, the minister noted, the Chechen republic is being restored in general according to a common promising schedule. A federal targeted program of Chechnya's revival for 2001 has been drafted and is being implemented along with the federal targeted program on restoring Chechnya's economic and social areas for 2002 and the next few years. Major prerequisites have been created for refugees to return. Three hundred treatment facilities, 52 hospitals and 452 schools have been restored. As many as 8,200 youths are receiving elementary and secondary education, 16,000 students are being trained in three higher educational establishments. Over the past year, recruitment centres, courts, prosecutor's offices, police and justice bodies have been put back into operation at the republican level and in the majority of regional centres, noted Vladimir Yelagin. In his words, the banking system is being formed and will be applied to practice in the republic. A sugar refinery and a brickworks are already operating there. In all, the Chechen administration has provided about 90,000 jobs, and by the end of 2001 their number will reach 150,000. The minister also noted that over 2,000 apartment blocks will be commissioned in Chechnya. By the end of this year, there will be sufficient social and economic conditions for bringing 110,000 refugees back to their homes. Yelagin pointed out to the agricultural achievements in the republic. In 2001, 295,000 tons of grain were gathered there, which was enough to provide the republic with bread.