Russian press review 22.11.06

Russian press writes about easing the punishment for carrying out euthanasia, governmental efforts to cope with alcohol poisoning and new procedure regulating the Moscow's real estate market.

“Novye Isvestia” daily writes about a proposal by Moscow's politicians to ease the punishment for carrying out euthanasia.

The daily thinks the amendment may lead to the gradual legalization of mercy killing.

The paper's greatest concern is the inability of Russia's judicial system to control the implementation of the law and that it might also lead to a rise in crimes connected with inheritance and real estate.

“Novye Isvestia” also reports that Russia’s state-owned alcohol company has started producing vodka at the affordable price of 65 rubles, which amounts to around 3 dollars.

Cheap, so-called “people’s vodka” is meant to prevent poisoning from bootlegged alcohol in the country.

Yet, the paper points out the frightening correlation between the price of vodka and male life expectancy.

It's also concerned the government is using the fight against alcohol poisoning as a pretext to reshape the vodka market. It says the country is only lowering the price of state-produced vodka to increase turnover.

According to “Gazeta” newspaper reporting on a new procedure regulating the Moscow's real estate market, only “true” Muscovites will be able to buy real estate in Moscow. 

The paper says only those who've lived in Moscow for ten years or more will have a chance to buy apartments in new builds in the Russian capital.
 
The measure's been brought in to try and bring property prices down, but analysts are skeptical about how effective the new rules will be. They say it's more likely to increase corruption.

A real airplane has been designed and constructed by an eighty-year old man in his compact little flat in Novosibirsk, “Izvestia” daily writes.

The frame of the machine is made of plywood, but to get hold of the rest of the materials, the pensioner had to either trade something in for them, buy them in markets or simply find them in dustbins.

With a snowmobile engine, the plane has accomplished its first flight, reaching a height of 30 metres.

Specialists have confirmed the plane does indeed meet all the standards required of single-engined light airplanes.