Chechnya's president promises no more war, pledges support for NGOs
Interfax
Groznyy, 9 July: Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has asserted that there will never again be war in the republic.
"Military activity has finished for good and irrevocably. From being a breeding ground for tension and a conflict zone, the Chechen Republic has now been transformed into the most stable region in the North Caucasus," Kadyrov said in his first address to the people and parliament since he became Chechen president.
The document states that "enormous results have been achieved within the Without a Trace of War programme, and with regard to the issue of returning refugees".
In his address, Kadyrov paid particular attention to the development of the economy and the agro-industrial sector, as well as the moral recovery of society. He recalled that "in Chechnya there is a decisive battle going on against drugs use and alcoholism; those (so-called) one-armed bandits, slot machines, have been got rid of, and now other republics in the North Caucasus, and even Moscow, are looking to Chechnya as an example."
Kadyrov said that the process of forming structures of local governance would begin in the republic next year. "Not everyone likes our success in reviving the republic," he said, adding: "but we have chosen our path, and that path leads towards the well-being of the peoples, together with Russia".
According to Kadyrov's address, Chechnya's leadership intends henceforth to pay more attention to the development of civil society, supporting non-governmental human rights organizations, and observing human rights.
The Chechen president called on all branches of authority to "broaden the use of the Chechen language, and care for it". "Literature and art should facilitate this, but the republic's library system was completely destroyed during the two wars. It needs to be revived and equipped with modern electronic technology," said Kadyrov.
Kadyrov set the goal of doubling gross regional product in the next four years. He said a special programme had already been drawn up to achieve this, in which emphasis is laid on attracting private funds. (passage omitted)
"Today, 95 per cent of total production is oil extraction, but that sector doesn't provide the benefits that our economy needs. It is therefore vital to develop a policy with the federal centre that would allow the money from oil sales to go towards developing the Chechen economy," said Kadyrov.
At the same time, Kadyrov said: "It is not possible to increase our economic potential and provide employment for people simply by rebuilding the oil extraction sector."
Kadyrov is convinced "of the need to develop a state programme to rebuild and develop the oil refining sector, oil and petrochemical mechanical engineering, instrument-making and industrial automation, and to develop oil science".
In his address, Kadyrov set the goal of gradually moving industry over to the use of local gas, as well as the energy of mountain rivers, which would reduce production costs. (passage omitted to end).