Kommersant: Dmitry Medvedev on April 22 signed a decree dismissing Nikolai Abroskin

President Dmitry Medvedev on April 22 signed a decree dismissing Nikolai Abroskin, Federal Special Construction Agency (Spetsstroi) Director, from his post. Ex- Defense Minister Grigory Naginsky has replaced him. Kommersant English describes in detail the epic of resignation the Spetsstroi leader. Sollers has received state funds for its projects with American Ford. Vneshekonombank (VEB) will open a 39 billion ruble credit line for their joint venture. VEB up to now has never provided such large funds to any participant the Russian auto market. The Russian high-profile oil transportation project - the construction of the oil pipeline Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean ( VSTO) has run up against problems again. The beginning of the use of its second unit has been delayed. Kommersant English examines the official reason, saying how experts regard it. As a result of a successful special operation in the Moscow region on Sunday, Ivan Kaspersky, son of Yevgeny Kaspersky, the founder and the main owner the "Laboratory of Kaspersky" company, was released. He was abducted in Moscow on April 19. Bandits demanded 3 million euros for him. The organizer of abduction and its participants have been detained. Kommersant English describes the operation. Right Cause co-leader Leonid Gozman on Saturday reported to his St. Petersburg comrades-in -arms that Russia was in a revolutionary situation and that the only way of a "peaceful development of events" is a departure of part of power elite under the banners of his party. He scheduled the time of appearance party's new leadership- the end of May-June. Former head Kremlin administration Alexander Voloshin is in charge of the party's reanimation and its preparation for the elections.
Several regional branches (they are named) of United Russia have changed their leaders. Kommersant English examines the reasons. President Dmitry Medvedev who during the whole last year tried to convince the European Union of starting to cancel the visa regime with Russia has seemingly received what he wanted. Russian and European diplomats have adjusted a list of joint steps forestalling the signing of an agreement canceling the visa regime. German Garmish- Partenkirhen (Sp? ) today will host the International Forum "The Partnership of States, Business and Civil SocietyŠ in the conditions of information security and counteraction to terrorism" that has been convened at the initiative of Russia. The main theme for discussion will be how to ensure the security world Internet- space in the condition when cyber arms are becoming ever more accessible and easy in use.In an interview member of the Russian delegation Valery Yashchenko, First Deputy Director the MGU Information Security Problems Institute, talks about Russia's answer to the question. The Finance Ministry has agreed to lower the rates of raising the excises on tobacco and ethyl alcohol. The ministry now proposes to increase by 2014 the collections on alcohol up to 500 rubles per liter and on tobacco - up to 770 rubles per one thousand cigarettes.But even in this case cigarettes and vodka in retail will double in price as a minimum. Moscow City Hall will forgive developers the accumulated fines since the start of crisis for a disruption the realization of the investment contracts and will lower their size in the future. VTB 24 is cardinally changing its approach to the sale of problem credits of private clients. The bank intends to give up the general practice of conducting tenders for each of the sold portfolios and to choose the permanent partners that during a year will buy its problem debts. Kommersant english explains why VTB 24 has preferred such an approach.
The Icelandic investment company Straumborg plans to sell the Russian subsidiary - a small Norvik bank. Foreign players now often curtail their Russian business if it did not manage to develop before the crisis, but the point in view is not Norvik-bank: the bank with 650 million ruble capital every month performs currency - exchange operations worth 400 billion rubles. The growth rates of the people's means on the accounts of 100 large by assets banks of Russia in the first quarter of 2011 decreased by 2.5 times as compared with the first quarter of 2010-- down to 1.5 percent from 3.7 percent. Vneshekonombank on April 22 placed 10 billion rubles of pension accumulations on the deposits in credit organizations.The weighted - average rate amounted to 5.46 percent per annum. Volga-Dnepr Group intends to launch a new cargo airline with a park of 10 Boeings-737. The cost of project is estimated at $40 million-$50 million. The carrier will transform small batches of cargo on regional routes in Russia and to Europe. What do experts think of the project? The United Aircraft-Building Corporation (OAK) would like to sell 48 percent of shares in Ilyushin Finans Co (IFK) that deals with a leasing of domestic planes. Alexander Lebedev for a long time also hopes to part with his share in IFK (25.8 percent of shares). Kommersant English describes how IFK is losing its shareholders. The Internet in regions in a year went down in price by 30-60 percent, the Yandex study says. The lowest prices have been registered in the Ural Federal District and the most expensive access to the net is as before in the Far East. Mikhail Nikolayev , the founder of the insurance company Nasta after the sale of his insurance business took up the production of wine and construction. He bought about 7 000 hectares of land in Krasnodarsky Krai, where he plans to build a plant making wine under the Lefkadia mark and a cottage settlement for 100-120 villas.