Grozny‘s newly-appointed Mayor, Oleg Zhidkov, took up his office, replacing Beslan Gantamirov, who resigned on May 17, 2001. Zhidkov, 45, is an ethnic Russian who speaks fluent Chechen after spending more than two decades in Grozny. In the past Zhidkov worked for the Soviet KGB intelligence service.
Tuesday, July 24
No major events.
Wednesday, July 25
Attorney General of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, appointed Vsevolod Chernov Attorney General of the Chechen Republic. After nearly four months of work at south Russian federal body, Chernov returned to his former post, replacing Viktor Dakhnov. According to Prague Watchdog‘s files, Dakhnov officially started his half-yearly term of office as Chechnya's Attorney General within the federal judicial system on April 9, 2001.
The Consulting Council, which was set up at the office of the head of the pro-Russian administration of Chechnya, met for its constituent meeting in Grozny. The composition of the Council has still to be approved but its members are to be „prominent Chechen politicians, scientists, [and] religious leaders able to consolidate the Chechen society,“ Russian news agencies informed, referring to the press service of the pro-Russian Chechen government.
Thursday, July 26
A special regime was imposed on the movement of journalists outside Khankala, the main military base of the North Caucasian federal forces. Journalists are now allowed out only if accompanied by a press-centre‘s officer.
During a meeting with the head of Chechnya’s pro-Russian administration Akhmad Kadyrov in Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the division of property in Chechnya between the federal and republican authorities. Now the Chechen government will be the sole client for the reconstruction and restoration of schools, hospitals and other public buildings in Chechnya, for which it was allocated $400 million. – The Moscow Times
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