Duma opens its autumn session Monday.

MOSCOW, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's State Duma will open its
autumn session on Monday.

Parliamentarians have to consider around 550 draft laws, Duma speaker
Boris Gryzlov told reporters.
"Undoubtedly, a draft budget for 2010 is the main document of the
autumn session," he said adding that the main task amid the budget deficit
is to ensure savings and optimal correlation of the spending on the
country's development priorities.
The government should submit the draft budget to the State Duma for
consideration no later than October 1 and parliamentarians should adopt it
until December 1.
In the middle of September the Duma will consider the government's
first report on the results of anti-crisis activities at the end of 2008
and the first half of 2009, the speaker said.
Gryzlov stressed that parliamentarians will not slow down anti-crisis
efforts.
"In general, further anti-crisis efforts will top the autumn session's
agenda," he said. "It is necessary to engage all existing opportunities,
coordinate and pool efforts of the executive authorities,
parliamentarians, public in general and experts."
Moreover, Duma will take further steps towards changing the electoral
legislation and adopt laws on immediate use of the armed forces beyond
Russia's borders. Parliamentarians will also approve new technical rules
and consider extra measures on road security, on production regulation,
the market for alcohol products and the fight against terrorism.


.Findings of Siberia's plant accident to be released in 2 months.

MOSCOW, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's top investigator Alexander
Bastrykin believes that first convincing findings of the cause of the
accident at Russia's biggest Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant can be
released only in 45-60 days.
He stressed that a big investigating team is working on the site of
the accident.
"The terrorist act is ruled out. Serious technological appraisals of
labour safety and discipline are necessary. We can make the well-grounded
findings of the cause of the accident no earlier than in one month and a
half or in two months," he said in an interview with the Rossiyskaya
Gazeta newspaper.
Bastrykin declined to give any preliminary estimates noting that "what
had happened is a characteristic result of the state of our hydropower
sector."
"Experts warned long ago that technological problems are coming as
nothing is put in repair," he said adding that "those responsible for the
accident should be found, but without hysterics."
The Investigative Committee chief expressed confidence that "it is
necessary to find interrelation between the accident and insufficient
funds, untimely preventive maintenance, violation of technologies and
actions of the personnel." "We are studying all this and we will take a
well-balanced and calm decision after consultations with many specialists."
The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya plant of August 17 killed 73
people. The fate of other two workers remains unknown.


.UNESCO launches training for Russian museum specialists.

KAZAN, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - UNESCO launches a national training
on museum management for Russia's museum specialists entitled Running a
Museum - XXI Century in Kazan on Monday, the director of the National
Museum of Tatarstan, Gulchachak Nazipova, told Itar-Tass.
"The training is organized with the financial support of UNESCO within
the framework of the agreement between UNESCO and the Intergovernmental
Foundation for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation on
interaction in museum development in the CIS countries," Tatarstan Culture
Minister Zilya Valeyeva said.
Taking part in the event will be Christian Manhart, UNESCO Chief of
Museums and Cultural Objects Section, leaders of the International Council
of Museums, famous researchers and directors of over 30 leading Russian
museums.
"Museums in XXI century have to define the global problem - the role
of the society and man in the modern world," Valeyeva said.
Participants in the training that will last until September 10 will
discuss the domestic legislation on museums, security of masterpieces and
museum tourism.

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