Albert

Ramzan Kadyrov: Chechnya Will Become the Most Prosperous Part

The new Chechen president received MN correspondents at the Palace of
Youth in Grozny. He was wearing a light-colored suit and white shirt
without a tie or his trademark tyubeteika skull-cap. As he rose from
the table, the president said: "Just call me Ramzan. After all, we are
working for the same cause."

The interview was brief. The Moscow News' first question was about the
methods used by his administration, which many consider excessively tough.

Kadyrov: We are not asking for the impossible. All tasks are assigned
to specific officials and are well within their scope. But we have to
be tough in our situation. For many years, we had been humiliated,
killed and portrayed as idlers. Then for five or six years since
nothing has been done for our people.

An administration for reconstruction programs was set up, but it just
sat in Moscow diverting funds, with nothing ever reaching Chechnya.

But now that the republic's government is in charge, the situation has
turned around. [RF Economic Development and Trade Minister] German
Gref, who recently visited usthe republic, called Chechnya 'Russia's
major construction site'. And people can see this for themselves. The
people and ruling authorities must be together united: Without this,
nothing will work out.

MN: You said lately that you know all of the government ministers who
were stealing budget funds, and will force them to return everything
to the last kopek. Will they?

K.: They already are! And they will continue to return [the money].
Everyone is mortal and will have to answer to the Almighty. Budgetary
funds belong to the people, and it is a great sin to rob from them. I
am a believer, and I will not allow anyone to do such a thing.

It must be said, in fairness, that it is the system that has made many
bureaucrats what they are. I told Gref: 'If you put an official here
to count every kopek, we will wholeheartedly support the idea.'
Incidentally, he did not believe that we would manage to put a cement
plant in the town of Chiri-Yurt into operation so soon. There had been
heavy fighting in the area, and the plant had almost been razed. But
we have already produced the first 300 tons! By 2008, there will not
be a trace of war left in Grozny.

MN: Do you always meet with such understanding on the part of federal
officials?

K: We do now, but in the past there were some problems. The [Russian]
president always agrees if he is able to see concrete results.

MN: Should oil revenues remain in the republic?

K: Yes, they should. Rosneft [the state-run leading crude producer]
has not only grabbed everything but has also abandoned social and
environmental programs. It is a powerful company, and I want to
cooperate with it, not fight against it. But if it is necessary, I
will fight. We must uphold our republic's interests, and there is an
array of legal mechanisms to do just that.

But we must also develop other sectors, primarily agriculture. We will
start with the rural bosses: They should also keep cows so that the
local people can see that they are working like everyone else. We used
to have excellent spa facilities - all of this needs to be restored.
Our oil will run out in 10 years - what will we do then if we do not
plan ahead for the future?

MN: How do you view the prospect for a merger with Ingushetia?

K: I believe it is a non-issue. Who would want to merge with a
war-ravaged Chechnya? Our objective is different, namely, to make this
republic the most prosperous, exemplary part of Russia. And then, if
someone decides that they want to join us, we will think about such a
possibility.

Sometimes it is asserted that I have expansionist or separatist
aspirations, or that I am striving to divide powers with Russia. All
of this is speculation, pure and simple. None of this is true.
Chechnya is a part of Russia, so what is there for us to divide? Many
people do not understand that the Chechens defended Russia, protecting
it against international terrorists who had formidable manpower and
financial resources. The people of Chechnya rose to defend the
country, and I am proud of this, and consider myself a Russian patriot.

MN: Who do you see as the country's future president?

K: Putin. If Russia has a lucky future, he will remain in office. He
has rallied and consolidated the country and made the state system
work - and then there is a new [presidential] election, which is
entirely wrong. Ask the people: This will this be real democracy?.

The president has saved my nation, and I am grateful to him. I am
Putin's foot soldier and I will carry out his every order.

MN: What do you think is the greatest threat to Russia today?

K: Drug abuse, drunkenness, prostitution and gambling. These problems
should be dealt with on the legislative basis, perhaps on the level of
a new national priority project. Young people in Russia often do not
even know the name of their grandfather or their origin - what can be
worse than this?

MN: What do you do for recreation?

K: I have very little spare time. I like animals, especially horses. I
have a small menagerie, that includes a cheetah, lion and panther.
They are young, but will soon start showing their character.

Source: The Moscow News, Apr.06, 2007

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Голосуем!

Razr

Ес, иц вери гуд тема!!!

Mobileidea

He that pays the piper calls the tune)

Razr

I trully hope that Chechen Republik will be the most gorgeous part of the world!!!I`m sorry for my bad english...