The Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast


February 25, 2010. XXXVI Session of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma

XXXVI Session of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma
As always, Boris Maltsev, Speaker of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma, opened the session (opening speech).

Viktor Kress, Governor of Tomsk Oblast, informed the Oblast deputies on the results of the session of the Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of the Russian Economy presided by the President Dmitry Medvedev which took place in Tomsk.

The Governor emphasized that all the participants to the session, including the President, particularly noted professional attitude of the receiving party. Viktor Kress also highlighted positive outcomes of the President’s visit such as the fact that Russian businessmen and Government officials revealed the positive side of Tomsk, saw enthusiastic young people of the territory of innovations, took note of a young city of students with a potential of idea generation. And the most important was the decision to support the initiative on creation of a Federal Center for Education, Research and Development in Tomsk.

Mr. Kress expressed hope that this project will attract investments to the region from the federal budget and the business. For the universities it means a new educational level, for the citizens of Tomsk it is development of the road and social infrastructure, new sports facilities, student campuses and many other things.

In the second reading the deputies adopted the reviewed Oblast Law ‘On indigenous minorities in Tomsk Oblast’. The Law protects interests of about 2000 Tomsk Oblast citizens, among them the Selkups, Chulyms, Evenkis and Khanty. The Law defines the notion of ‘indigenous minorities’, their traditional settlements and occupations. Moreover, the Law lays down the powers of the authorities in the issues concerning protection of the historical living environment, traditional occupations and crafts of the indigenous minorities.

In the first reading the deputies passed the Law ‘On Physical Training and Sports in Tomsk Oblast’. This Law is a successor of the Law with the same title which ceased to be in force in 2007. The new Law is a framework document which defines the powers of the Tomsk Oblast authorities in development of physical training and sports. Also, the Law provides for the types of incentives for sportsmen and coaches with outstanding achievements in physical training and sports.

For the first time the representative of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma in the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly Vladimir Zhidkikh presented a report on his performance in front of the deputies. In his report the Senator did not pay much attention to the achievements of the Youth and Tourism Committee of the Federation Council where he is the Chairman. Instead, Mr. Zhidkikh enumerated the most important achievements that came as a result of effective cooperation with the Oblast Duma deputies who delegated senatorial powers to him, with the Tomsk Oblast Governor, and the regional executive power. One of the most remarkable such achievements was holding of the session of the Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of the Russian Economy presided by the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev in Tomsk.

Within ‘A Governor’s Hour’ the Deputy Governor for Construction, Roads, and Emergencies Igor Shaturny delivered a report on the activities carried out by the public authorities in order to get prepared to spring floods and prevent emergencies in the region.

Mr. Shaturny reported that the situation on the rivers is expected to be normal. However, it could be worsened by heavy show and rainfall in March and April as well as early coming of the spring with steadily high temperatures, especially at night. If this is the case, the rivers might exceed their maximum levels and under the worst-case scenario flood up to 23 settlements in the region. The situation might be the worst with the River Tom because of high water in November 2009, very unusual in the fall, which destroyed then already firm ice cover, elevated the water level and created many dangerous ice phenomena. A flood wave triggered formation of ice ridges (up to 5 m high) and slush along the river bed. Now, there is a real threat of spring ice dams along the entire bed of the River Tom and vast flooded areas within the region. Over the past century and a half a similar formation of the ice floe on the River Tom has been observed 11 times. And in 8 out of the 11 cases the spring breakup of the River Tom would cause high water levels, ice blocks and small floods.

Currently a comprehensive inspection of the river is under way. The region is cooperating with the adjacent upstream river regions (Kemerovo and Novosibirsk Oblasts and Altai Territory) in measuring the snowpacks, handling water levels, ice melting and drifting, water discharge from water reservoirs, etc. A group of leading researchers was organized. They monitor the situation and issue recommendations. To prevent formation of ice dams the ice will be cut, blown up and covered by ash to accelerate melting. The regional department of the Russian Emergency Office is alert and has mobilized 174 emergency units with 2078 people of staff, 483 motor vehicles, 268 units of engineering equipment, and 243 water vehicles. The region is carrying out explanatory work for the population and training for the employees of the companies and institutions as well as activities in other relevant areas.

For the first time during ‘A Governor’s Hour’ the agenda had a separate item ‘The results of the review of critical comments and proposals voiced by the deputies at the Duma sessions’. There was information on three critical comments:
1. A.N. Kaplunov, Head of the Tomsk District Municipal Entity, reported on the situation with the implementation of a new labor remuneration system for teachers;
2. I.E. Volkov, Head of the Seversk City Administration, informed the deputies on the bankruptcy of the Seversk Municipal Transport Enterprise;
3. Oksana Kozlovskaya, Deputy Governor of Tomsk Oblast, made a presentation on the loans guaranteed by the Tomsk Oblast Property Fund.

The Law ‘On requirements to transportation in passenger taxis in Tomsk Oblast’ was passed in its second reading. The Law is aimed at ensuring safety of passenger taxi transportations. The originators of the amendments refer to sad statistics: in Tomsk alone 10% of road accidents involve taxi cars. The Law specifies particular requirements to the organization of taxi services for the population. One of the requirements prohibits using passenger taxi cars modified without permission or self-manufactured; under a qualification requirement driving experience of a taxi driver should be at least three years. Besides, the Law imposes a requirement to forbid diseased and tired taxi drivers to drive, as they put the passengers’ safety in jeopardy.

The Oblast deputies approved allocation of 10m rubles budgeted for the Oblast target program ‘Fire Safety at Public Facilities in Tomsk Oblast for 2008-2010’ to be spent on automated fire alarm systems and voice alarm and evacuation systems. In the same way as in the Federal Law, the deputies laid down the reasons for, terms of and procedure for the mandatory public insurance of the employees of the Tomsk Oblast Fire Department.

The deputies voted for awarding the title ‘Honorary Citizen of Tomsk Oblast’ to Mikhail Andreyev, a popular lyric writer, member of the Tomsk regional department of the Union of Russian Writers.

Boris Maltsev, Speaker of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma
Boris Maltsev, Speaker of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma, held a traditional press-conference for journalists during the break.
In his answers to the questions from the media the Duma Speaker put particular emphasis on two ideas.
The first idea was about the path of innovation for the development of Tomsk Oblast. ‘We were into it even when we had empty pockets and we managed to do a lot and were praised for that. But today it is not enough. We must take a step further – from research in the field of innovations to large-scale manufacturing of competitive products.’

The second idea was about the ways to defeat poverty. Mr. Maltsev is convinced that this problem cannot be solved simply by allocations from the budget and benefits to people in need. However, so it is now. Boris Maltsev says that the entire anti-poverty paradigm should be changed in a way that poor population is not a target area but rather an efficient player in the anti-poverty campaign. And it is only possible if conditions are created, including a legal framework, for such people to get access to bank loans.

After the Russian fiasco at the Vancouver Olympic Games the Oblast Law ‘On Physical Training and Sports’ adopted at the session also raised a lot of questions. The Speaker believes that it is important to develop sports facilities but there are also other things involved. For example, why people in Siberia are not much interested in skiing which does not require special facilities? What’s wrong about orienteering? Why excellent school gyms are empty for most of the day? Even a promising project on activity of athletic instructors in the yards financed by the Oblast deputies was nipped in the bud.


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