LATVIA-RUSSIA -- THE MOORING OF RUSSIAN WARSHIPS NEAR LATVIA DREW AN OFFICIAL PROTEST FROM LATVIAN OFFICIALS. Latvia sought an official explanation for the protracted proximity of three Russian warships to the Latvian coast. The warships entered Latvia's so-called economic zone of interest, 25 kilometers from the coast, en route from St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad, but did not enter Latvia's territorial waters, defined as 12 kilometers from the Latvian coast. One of the ships also witnessed the crash of a Swedish jet in the same waters. Crew members of the nuclear warship Petr Veliky saw a Swedish air force reconnaissance jet crash 200 meters from the vessel as the jet was scouting the area. Latvian President Guntis Ulmanis said on television on October 16 that the incident showed Russia was "not as friendly as it sometimes seems." (BNS, 17 Oct.)
RIGA-VILNIUS -- LATVIA'S PARLIAMENT HAS RATIFIED THE CONTROVERSIAL AMOCO OIL EXPLORATION DEAL with the multinational Amoco and Swedish company OPAB to begin prospecting for oil in the disputed sea-zone also claimed by neighboring Lithuania. "Latvia's actions will not lead to a resolution of this conflict," Lithuanian President Algirdas Brazauskas said on Latvian radio. Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Stankevicius said that his government would cease negotiations with the Latvians over the issue and leave it in the hands of the next Lithuanian government. The dispute has soured relations between the two Baltic neighbors. Both countries have been eager to develop their own energy sources in order to reduce their dependency on Russia for fuel supplies. (Reuter, 24 Oct.)
HELSINKI-TALLINN -- ESTONIA AND FINLAND SIGNED A SEA BORDER AGREEMENT on October 18 in Helsinki. The agreement includes a demarcation of the Finnish continental shelf and Estonian and Finnish fishing grounds. The sea border remains essentially the same for Estonia as it was formulated by the Soviet-Finnish border agreement which will expire on January 9, 1997. The only small changes in the border have occurred as a result of the use of a more accurate geographic positioning system. The third round of Estonian-Finnish sea border talks agreed on the border line and the text of the agreement on June 19, 1996. The new agreement was signed by Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen and her Estonian counterpart Siim Kallas. (ETA, 20 Oct.)
BALTIC STATES-RUSSIA -- RUSSIA'S LUKOIL WILL SEEK TO AVOID OIL TRANSIT THROUGH BALTIC PORTS in future. Russian oil company Lukoil said that it will start to restrict the export of its oil products to Europe through the ports of Tallinn, Vilnius, and Klaipeda, in order to give preference to the Russian city of Kaliningrad. The redirection of exports through Kaliningrad is one of the clauses in a recent cooperation agreement between Lukoil and Kaliningrad. Lukoil will be able to begin to export oil through Kaliningrad after the city has built oil terminals and oil tanks in its port, President of Lukoil Vagit Alekperov said. Lukoil intends to target Polish market in particular from Kaliningrad, according to Alekperov. (Postimees, 18 Oct.)
VILNIUS-PARIS -- NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE VILNIUS MUNICIPALITY AND THE FRENCH EAUX D'LIONNESSE FIRM ARE STILL IN A DEADLOCK over reconstruction of the water supply system of Vilnius. Five years ago Eaux d'Lionnesse offered its services for the reconstruction of the Vilnius water supply network and for future maintenance. The French company agreed to found a maintenance company to be financed one third by Eaux d'Lionnesse and two thirds by Vilnius municipality capital. The problem now is that new city council members oppose investment of foreign capital in this branch of the city economy. Full reconstruction of Vilnius water supply system requires about 400 million litas, a sum equivalent to the annual Vilnius city budget. (ELTA, 15 Oct.)
ESTONIA-RUSSIA -- A BORDER AGREEMENT BETWEEN ESTONIA AND RUSSIA MAY BE CONCLUDED THIS YEAR, stated Estonian Prime Minister Tiit Vahi at a meeting with honorary chairman of German Bundestag's CDU/CSU faction Alfred Dregger, who was visiting in Estonia. Vahi said that Estonia holds the position that a spirit of cooperation must prevail in its relations with neighboring states, including Russia. Vahi stressed that it was important for Estonia to join the European Union and NATO. Dregger said that Russia cannot expect to play a role in the decision for Estonia and the other Baltic states to enter NATO. (ETA, 29 Oct.)
ESTONIA-EUROPEAN UNION STATES -- ESTONIA HAS APPLIED TO THE EUROPEAN UNION TO PERMIT VISA-FREE TRAVEL for Estonian citizens with the European Union member states. Estonian Foreign Minister Siim Kallas at the same time proposed to expand visa-free regime to all those countries that have concluded an association agreement with the EU. European Commission's foreign affairs commissioner Hans van den Broeck said that visa-freedom for Estonia to EU states will depend on the success of Estonia's effective control of its border with Russia. (ETA, 30 Oct.)
PSKOV, RUSSIA-TARTU, ESTONIA -- THE MARINE VESSEL "POLES'E" HAS BEEN BOUGHT BY THE PORT OF THE CITY OF PSKOV in order to re- establish the ferry route Pskov-Tartu. The Pskov port plans to invest further in the Pskov port with funds earned this year from the sale of sand which was dredged from the Velikaia River. Part of those funds will go toward buying a new engine for the used "Poles'e". The Russian border guard is also interested in investing in the development of the Pskov port in order that repairs on their ships can be handled effectively in Pskov. The ferry route has not been in service for over five years. (Pskovskaia Pravda, 26 Oct.)
KALININGRAD-LENINGRAD OBLAST -- CAR FERRY SERVICE FROM KALININGRAD TO UST'-LUGA, LENINGRAD OBLAST, is being planned by the Transportation Department of Kaliningrad Oblast. The total cost of the establishment of such a ferry line is estimated at 717 million USD, according to officials at the department. The project would be financed by federal as well as private funds. (SPb Vedomosti, 30 Oct.)
RUSSIA -- NEW RUSSIAN TRAVEL PASSPORTS bearing the tsarist double-headed-eagle emblem were issued beginning on October 21. Existing passports will remain valid until their expiration date. The passports have been printed in Russian and in English, which will now replace French as the official language of the Russian passport. The new passports are valid for a period of five years. The double-headed eagle as the official emblem of the Russian Federation has not been officially accepted by the Russian Duma, but a presidential decree making the double-headed eagle Russia's official emblem is not expected to be challenged. (SPb Vedomosti, 22 Oct.)
MOSCOW-ST. PETERSBURG -- CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHSPEED RAILWAY FROM MOSCOW TO ST. PETERSBURG IS NOW UNDERWAY, despite charges from environmental officials that the railway will cause irreversible environmental damage on a widespread scale. About 6,000 engineers have begun to search for live ammunition left from World War II in Novgorod Oblast through which the railway is to run. About 30,000 workers will soon follow the engineers in beginning work on construction of the railway itself. The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development has already designated 120 million dollars for the construction of the railway. A large number of non-government environmental experts and community leaders have also objected strongly to the construction of the railway, especially concerning the railway's route through Valdaiskii National Park. (Smena, 22 Oct.)
LATVIA -- A NORWEGIAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT OF THE FUTURE BUTINGE OIL TERMINAL has been derided by the Latvian Environmental Defense Club. The organization expressed dismay at a section of the report, prepared by Norwegian firm Det Norske Veritas Industry AS, of the economic benefits of an oil spill in the region in promoting tourism. "People are attracted to catastrophes, and it has been observed that in cases of oil spills thousands of spectators are drawn to the area", reads the report. "I have seen many reports about the impact of industrial objects on the environment, but this is the first time I have encountered such a cynical evaluation", said Club official Pavils Raudonis. He explained that the Latvian government had sought to cooperate with the Lithuanian government in analyzing the environmental impact of the Butinge terminal project, but had been told that such an assessment had already been made by a Norwegian firm. (LETA, 31 Oct.)
RADON PROCESSING PLANT, LENINGRAD OBLAST -- THE SPECIAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING PLANT RADON has halted its main processing operations for the first time in 35 years. The total number of companies and institutes which send wastes to the plant at their own cost has fallen from 220 ten years ago to 150 today. It is reported that many companies prefer to keep their wastes at their own location because of the high cost of processing today. A shortage of the fuel used for incineration has resulted in the plant stoppage. The plant is partly financed by the program TACIS. The program has designated 600,000 ECU for the establishment of a regional center for processing radioactive wastes. (Smena, 25 Oct.)
LENINGRAD ATOMIC STATION, SOSNOVY BOR -- AN EMERGENCY STOPPAGE OF ONE OF THE STATION'S TURBOGENERATORS took place during the night of October 26 after a short circuit occurred in a turbogenerator at the station. Two turbogenerators had been in operation at the station and power production was immediately reduced by 50 percent. The short circuit problem was repaired by the evening of the same day and the power of the reactor increased to its previous level. The station's information service informed the press of the short circuit on the morning of October 26 and throughout the course of that day. (Vecher. Peterburg, 28 Oct. and Vesti, 29 Oct.)
IGNALINA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, LITHUANIA -- AN IMITATED ACCIDENT WAS STAGED recently at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant by local government officials. The exercises were aimed at teaching how to coordinate local actions in providing assistance in case of an emergency at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. The training of imitated accident evacuation was carried out in Utena, Zarasai, and Ignalina districts, and the town of Visaginas, under three scenarios. In addition to civil safety department specialists, exercise participants included members of Utena extreme situations commissions, emergency groups from many ministries, and anti-fire department officials. It is the fourth year such exercises have been held in Lithuania. The exercises are aimed at implementing new regulations and requirements in the local community safety plan. (ELTA, 16 Oct.)
LENINGRAD OBLAST -- DANISH ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS HAVE DETERMINED THAT ONLY 30 PERCENT OF MANURE produced on livestock farms in Leningrad Oblast is used to fertilize fields. The remainder collects on or near farms and for the most part leaches into water sources. In addition, that manure which is used as fertilizer on farms in Leningrad Oblast has an unusually very high water content, according to the studies of the Danish experts. The accepted practice of first drying the manure before it is applied to the fields is not commonly used in the Oblast. (Vesti, 24 Oct.)
GULF OF FINLAND -- TWO SURFACE ZONES OF THE GULF OF FINLAND ARE REGULARLY HEAVILY POLLUTED, according to research conducted by the Baltic Floating University. The two zones are Koporskaia and Luzhskaia Bays. Garbage and industrial waste regularly are found on the surface of those bays. Scientists are attributing the rise in pollution located in these two zones to a new increase in industrial production in Leningrad Oblast. (SPb Vedomosti, 17 Oct.)
GULF OF FINLAND -- A LARGE NUMBER OF OIL TERMINAL PROJECTS CONTINUE TO BE PLANNED for the shore of the Gulf of Finland in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. The firm Iantar' plans to begin work on a port complex in April of next year in Lomonosov. The firm Neste-St. Petersburg plans to begin construction of an oil pumping station near Bronki, and the Trust for Construction Work has already invested 2.5 million USD for the construction of an oil terminal in Gorskaia. The Primorsk terminal for oil products and condensed gas will be located about 12O kilometers from St Petersburg and cost around USD 3OO million to build. (SPb Vedomosti, 16 Oct.)
BATAREINAIA BAY, GULF OF FINLAND -- MORE DETAILS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BATAREINAIA OIL TERMINAL have become available to the press. The first stage of construction of the port will provide for a volume of oil transfer of 7.5 million tons. A later stage will permit 15 million tons. The period of construction is from 1996-1999. Surguntneftegaz will be the primary investor in the construction which is estimated at 200-250 million USD. The terminal is to be built near the village of Shepelevo. (Vesti, 19 Oct.)
ESTONIA -- THE CHEMICAL PLANT KIVITER IS ESTONIA'S BIGGEST POLLUTER in terms of pollution taxes paid to the Estonian state in 1995. The power stations of Estonian Energy in Narva and Estonian Oil Shale also paid relatively large fines. A total of 39.3 million kroons in fines was paid. About 80 percent of Estonia's pollution fines come from twenty companies, including the firm Narva Water, the Tallinn and Tartu water supply systems, Kunda Nordic Tsement, and the Silmet rare metals plant. Pollution taxes in Estonia remain low by West European standards. It is estimated that an Estonian company has to pay about a thousand times less for polluting air with nitric dioxide than a similar company would have to pay in Sweden. (ETA, 28 Oct.)
TALLINN -- THE ESTONIAN PRIVATIZATION AGENCY HAS RULED that the radioactive waste storage, or so-called "uranium lake," of the Silmet rare metals plant will have to be privatized together with the plant and become the full responsibility of the new owner of the plant. Over the course of fifty years, the plant the storage has collected a great number of hazardous wastes, which are in some places located a distance of only a dozen meters from the Gulf of Finland. A joint offer of AS Magnum Group and an offer by consortium led by director general of SLV Botrans Nikolai Jugantsov has been made for the privatization, the second stage of the plant. The decision was taken by the Council on October 15. (ETA, 16 Oct.)
PSKOV OBLAST, RUSSIA -- THE JOINT OPERATION "CLEAN AIR" WAS CONDUCTED by officials of the Russian Transportation Inspection, the State Automobile Inspection, and Oblast Committee for Environmental Protection in Pskov Oblast. A total of 234 firms with company automobiles in the oblast were inspected. Ten percent of all vehicles inspected were being operated in violation of maximum exhaust standards. (Pskovskaia Pravda, 23 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- DEMONSTRATORS PLANNING TO PICKET THE FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY BUILDING in the city in protest against Alexander Nikitin's incarceration on charges of treason against Russia were arrested in front of the building before their action began. Fifteen minutes before their planned action, increased numbers on police in the area demanded that those gathering to picket to remove themselves immediately from the area. After the demonstrators refused to disperse, they were arrested. Representatives from the St. Petersburg organizations "Civil Control" and "Democratic Choice of Russia" were among those held by the police. The would-be picketers were released the same evening. (Nevskoe Vremiia, 31 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON ALEXANDER NIKITIN stated that his continued arrest on charges of treason for revealing environmental information about the activity of the Northern Navy by the Russian Federal Security Agency could have direct economic repercussions for Russia. Elizabeth Shretder explained that the European Parliament would be presented with the details of Nikitin's arrest and accusation at the same time that it would vote on the issue of further economic support for the Russian Federation. (SPb Vedomosti, 19 Oct., and Vesti, 19 Oct.)
RIGA -- THE SEVENTH MEETING OF THE HELCOM ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION concluded that aspects of the Baltic Sea environment are improving, although it is too early to make a general assessment of the situation. The HELCOM meeting called for a range of measures to further improve the situation of the Baltic Sea, including improving water quality by reducing pollution, and protecting salmon and other valuable species. The meeting was held on October 17. (LETA, 21 Oct.)
TARTU, ESTONIA -- THE PROJECT "PROMOTING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING ABOUT INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION PROBLEMS IN NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA" held the third in its series of working meetings in the development of the project's first stage on October 16. Participants presented reports on the environmental situation in the transboundary region of northwestern Estonia, an analysis of media coverage of the environment in the area, and a report on the experience of the "Green Telephone" line which has been operating in Narva since July 1996. The project is being organized by the Estonian Green Movement and the Lake Peipsi Project. (Lake Peipsi Project)
ST. PETERSBURG -- THE ASSOCIATION OF RUSSIAN SEA PORTS held its ninth conference in the city on October 23. Coordination of activity for solving the common problems of the different ports of the city were discussed at the conference. Legal, environmental, and technical issues of further cooperation were also raised. Only three of the former eight Soviet ports on the Baltic Sea are being operated today by the Russian Federation. Possibilities for better cooperation among port operators, railway, and suppliers was also discussed. (Smena, 24 Oct.)
TALLINN -- THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE BALTIC STATES ECONOMIC CONFERENCE which opened in Tallinn on October 23 was to work out the principles of a joint customs union that would include Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, reported Estonian Finance Minister Andres Lipstok and Latvian Minister of the Economy Guntars Krasts. The ministers said that although the Baltic states have a free trade agreement, much is still to be done to achieve closer economic relations and strengthen cooperation between the three states as well as enliven trade between them. (ETA, 23 Oct.)
ARKHANGELSK -- THE PROGRAM "DAYS OF FINLAND" was held during the course of one week in order to introduce city residents to a variety of Finnish products. The program was supported by the city of Arkhangelsk and several import and shipping firms. In addition to free samples in stores, concerts and other cultural events concerning Finland were organized. (Delovoi Peterburg, 22 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM "MINERAL-NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE CIS COUNTRIES" opened on October 30 at the Tavricheskii Palace. Discussion focused on closing the distance between mining potential and actual production levels today in the CIS countries. Forum participants also reviewed the growing demand of Western Europe for access to the mineral resources of CIS countries. (Smena, 31 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- THE ELEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE "RADIOACTIVE WASTES: STORAGE, TRANSPORT, AND PROCESSING" took place in the city on October 15-17. Three hundred delegates attended the conference, including participants from Sweden, Norway, Brazil, Austria, France, Germany, and the United States. The problem of radioactive wastes for Russia today was one of the main topics of the conference. It was the first time that the annual conference has been held in St. Petersburg. (Chas Pik, 16 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM "GULF OF FINLAND - 96" was held at the Center for Business Cooperation on October 15. The symposium reviewed recent studies on the environmental state of the Gulf conducted within the realm of the program "Year of the Gulf of Finland". The Eastern part of the Gulf remains the most heavily polluted with the level of industrial pollutants surpassing acceptable levels by an average of three times. Vodokanal St. Petersburg and the Academy of Science organized the symposium. (Nevskoe Vremiia, 16 Oct.)
RIGA -- THE SEMINAR "OIL AND OIL PRODUCT EXPORT POTENTIAL FROM RUSSIA AND FORMER SOVIET COUNTRIES TO NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE" gathered over 1OO experts from private firms, governments, and academia from Latvia and Russia on October 30. Latvian Transport Minister Vilis Kristopans told the seminar that the Latvian government would do everything in its power to create a stable and competitive oil transit corridor in Latvia. Much of the seminar's attention was paid to Lithuania's plans to build an oil terminal at Butinge. (LETA, 31 Oct.)
HELSINKI -- THE HANDBOOK "LEGISLATIVE ACTS OF THE CIS AND THE BALTIC STATES ON CITIZENSHIP, MIGRATION, AND RELATED MATTERS" has been published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The book is in English and in Russian and details citizenship and migration legislation of the twelve Commonwealth of Independent States countries and the three Baltic States. The book also includes new legislation on national minorities and refugees. The Russian edition contains official texts, the English contains unofficial translations. Orders may be sent to IOM Helsinki, Box 851, FIN-00101 Helsinki, fax +358-9-639 678, tel. +358-9-622 3011.
PETROZAVODSK -- THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LAKE LADOGA AND OTHER LARGE LAKES will be held in early August 1999 in Petrozavodsk, Russia. For further information, contact: Ms. Tuula Toivanen, University of Joensuu, P.O.Box 111, FIN-80101 Joensuu, Finland, fax 358 13 251 3449, e-mail SAIMAA@joyl.joensuu.fi
ESTONIA -- ESTONIAN AGRICULTURE POLICY IS THE MOST LIBERAL in the world, according to a recent report of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Estonia gives the lowest subsidies to the agricultural sector in the world, according to the survey conducted in cooperation with local agriculture experts. Estonia's support to agriculture (PSE) was the equivalent of negative 2 percent in 1995. The average PSE of OECD members was 41 percent and the PSE rate in the European Union was 49 percent in 1995. "Estonia has achieved a sort of a world record," said Andrei Kwiecinski, a consultant for the OECD. (Sonumileht, 31 Oct.)
LITHUANIA -- LITHUANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 670,000 CLAIMS TO RETURN LAND to former owners or their families. Forty percent of the total number of claims have already been processed and 1.4 million hectares of land have been returned. About 150,000 of Lithuanians have become owners and 102,000 were promised compensation. The Lithuanian government has succeeded in paying only 24.5 million litas or 3.3 percent of that compensation. Residents of the Lithuanian midland region, where the most fertile land in the country lies, have been the most active in applying for land ownership. Former owners or heirs of land in less productive eastern Lithuania have been significantly less active. (ELTA, 24 Oct.)
ESTONIA -- THE NUMBER OF RUSSIAN CITIZENS LIVING IN ESTONIA has reached 116,150 persons, making the Russian community in Estonia one of the largest outside the Russian Federation. A Russian Embassy spokesman reported that the embassy was making a precise count of all citizens at the beginning of each month, based on new citizenship applications received at the embassy. In September the number of Russian citizens grew by 1,350 people. The spokesman said that new applications continue to be submitted in equally large numbers. (ETA, 17 Oct.)
ST. PETERSBURG -- DUTCH INVESTORS LED FOREIGN INVESTMENT in St. Petersburg in 1995 with 19 percent of the total foreign volume. Investment by Americans accounted for 18 percent and that of Finns for 9 percent. The total foreign investment in the city in 1995 was 263 million USD. (Chas Pik, 23 Oct.)