Russian press review 08.11.06

Russian press writes about the celebrations of the 89th anniversary of the October Revolution in Russia, the developments in the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan and calls on the Chechen President to resign in favor of the Premier.

The daily “Gazeta” comments on celebrations of the 89th anniversary of the October Revolution in Russia on November the 7th.  

The paper says many Russians regret the date is no longer an official holiday. They call it a bitter revision of history.  

However, historian Natalya Narochnitskaya has a different view. She tells “Gazeta” Russians should get rid of old delusions, they should do it with dignity, without scorning their country’s past.

“Gazeta” also takes a look at the visit to Russia by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. 

He promised assistance to several Russian projects, including the  creation of a world-class technological university in Russia. The paper says the university will train top experts and managers for Russian IT companies.

“Vremya Novostey” writes the second Kyrgyz revolution has been cancelled.

After telephone talks with the leaders of neighboring countries – Russia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the ruling authorities brought it home to the opposition, says the daily, that their actions won’t be recognized as legitimate abroad.
 
The paper also cites sources in Bishkek as saying that Germany’s foreign minister hinted during his recent visit to Kyrgyzstan that stability in Central Asia is one of the main priorities of the German Government. 

The representative of Chechnya’s president on the Federation Council Umar Djabrailov has called on the President of the republic Alu Alkhanov to resign in favor of the Premier Ramzan Kadyrov, “Kommersant” writes.

The paper points out that though such calls are not new, it's the first time its come from a senator representing the Chechen president in the federal parliament. Nevertheless, writes the daily, Putin who has great confidence in Kadyrov will have the last say.
 
“Novye Izvestia” dwells on education in Russia and writes that a new bill on education loans will reduce the interest rate on university loans from 18% to 10%, enabling low-income students to pay them back in ten years.

The paper says the bill’s opponents claim that higher education will remain out of reach for the poor but talented students most of whom will still be unable to pay the high interest rates.
 
However, Muscovites began earning more money, “Rossiyskaya gazeta” tells referring to the latest federal  statistics. One thousand US dollars is an average monthly salary in Moscow, it’s three times higher than in other Russian regions. Finance sector employees make about 2,000 dollars a month, while teachers are not paid more than 450 US dollars.

Social inequality is also more vivid in Moscow, the daily indicates. The income of the top 10 per cent of earners in Moscow is 50 times more than the lowest paid workers.