YASTRZHEMBSKY: Let's begin with elections. According to information available to me, something like 65% of the voters took part in the elections in Chechnya. More precise information will be provided soon. A total of 98% voters in uniforms attended the elections. Now for the distribution of votes as of 2 p.m. This information was provided by Aleksandr Veshnyakov. Only 3% of processed ballot papers have been delivered from Chechnya. As you know, it lives by a different schedule. Curfew prevented officials from immediately providing all information to the centre. As far as we know, 40% voted for Putin, 32% for Zyuganov, 12.7% for Dzhabrailov, and 2.25% voted against all candidates, which is somewhat higher than the average for Russia.
The main thing is that the elections were held in Chechnya despite numerous threats and risk, and the citizens of Chechnya, just as the rest of Russian people, took part in the election process for the first time in quite a few years. It is of major significance that unlike the elections of the so-called president of Ichkeria, these elections were held in accordance with the Russian legislation. We believe that Chechnya has been put on the road leading it back to the constitutional space of Russia. The Joint Grouping of federal forces worked fruitfully in terms of preventing and precluding provocations during the elections. In fact, it can be said that the elections were held in Chechnya without major accidents. A few attempts were made to thwart the elections, in particular in Engel-Yurt, where a clockwork explosive device was found and rendered harmless in a polling station. And a shot was fired from a grenade-thrower in the direction of a polling station in Argun; nobody was hurt there.
Major questions pertaining to the financing of the economic and social restoration work in Chechnya were discussed shortly before the elections. Vladimir Putin supported the ideas of the head of the presidential staff on strengthening control over the allocation, delivery and targeted use of financial and material resources for the economic and social restoration of Chechnya. Here is what Aleksandr Voloshin wrote in his report: We must establish strict control over the allocation of budgetary funds to Chechnya and create a system of reliable monitoring of the movement of these funds through banks. The following measures are suggested: To quickly draft an addressee programme of socio-economic development of Chechnya. To form and send to Chechnya special groups of representatives of the State Construction Committee, Finance Ministry, Economics Ministry, Emergencies Ministry and the Federal Migration Service, which would determine the volume of necessary restoration work at the ruined administrative, housing, communal, industrial and social facilities. To organise an obligatory public tender for the fulfilment of construction and restoration work. To determine when socially significant facilities, above all schools, medical establishments and life-support systems, will be put into operation. The State Construction Committee shall be responsible for control over the progress of these projects. To resolve, jointly with the Central Bank of Russia, the problem of centralising returns from the sale of Chechen oil, financed by the federal budget, through the accounts of the federal treasury of the Finance Ministry of Russia. The Finance Ministry shall control the timely delivery of money and its targeted use. There are also other proposals [in that report]. Here is what Vladimir Putin wrote for government's attention: "I agree with these proposals; draft control and report measures that would ensure the transparency of financial and other transactions related to the economic restoration of Chechnya."
A government resolution was signed barely two days before the presidential elections. Under it, the Federal Migration Service will get 200 million roubles from the government's reserve fund for preventing and clearing up the results of emergency situations and natural calamities. This money will be spent on the establishment and maintenance of special camps and food kitchens for those who currently live in temporary camps in Ingushetia and Chechnya.
A few words about the operational situation. Not that I have a wealth of information. But this is pleasant, in a way, because the fighting activity has been low. One of the latest events was the dispersal and partial liquidation of a group of fighters, who moved on a mountain road from Sharoi to Cheberloi, both regional centres. Strikes were delivered at the Surkhlam strategic height, also in the Cheberloi district. An air defence system, six emplacements with large-calibre machine-guns and camouflaged stationary base were destroyed there. In the past 24 hours, a group of fighters was blockaded on an area of 12-15 km in the vicinity of Tsentoroi, 15 km outside Nozhai-Yurt. I cannot tell you now how many fighters were in the group, but artillery and aviation were used against them.
In the past 24 hours, the SOBR and OMON units carried out eight preventive operations and detained 12 bandits. Eight land mines made from 120mm artillery shells were rendered harmless on the Gudermes stretch of the Rostov-Baku highway.
Information from the Ministry of Justice: there are 87 people in the Chernokozovo detention ward. In all, 909 passed through the ward, and 480 of them were released.
QUESTION: ...
YASTRZHEMBSKY: Certainly only on Chechen territory, including those voters who were put on the election lists on the territory of Chechnya. As for refugees and displaced persons currently staying in Ingushetia, they were not included.
QUESTION: General Manilov said at the last briefing that there would be new rules for the work of journalists in Chechnya. What do you know about this?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I don't think he meant new rules. I think General Manilov meant that proper measures were taken to expertly check these rules. These accreditation rules were signed by Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev, and he [Manilov] meant the rules, which you all know very well.
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