RESTORATION FUNDS STILL CONSPICUOUS BY THEIR ABSENCE.

Writing in the 28 June issue of Die Tageszeitung, correspondent Klaus-Helge Donath reported on a recent visit to the Chechen highland settlement of Shatoi, not far from the border with Georgia. In Shatoi District, there are currently 13,500 residents plus 6,000 Russian soldiers. Donath interviewed the pro-Moscow head of the Shatoi District administration, Said Dusuev, said to be one of two district heads in the republic who actually enjoy the support of residents. Dusuev goes about unarmed and without an armed guard. In Dusuev’s apartment “is located the sole telephone for 13,500 residents.” “According to the plan for the restoration of the republic,” Donath wrote, “the Kremlin foresees apportioning to Shatoi 28 million rubles (about 1 million euros). Till now, however, not a kopeck has been received. Dusuev believes that one can say good-bye to this money. While in Moscow, he ran around to all the ministries not in the hope of extracting the money but in order to establish in writing the fact of criminality. ‘On my way back,’ Dusuev said, ‘I chose a different route and bought my ticket at the last moment. One can expect anything from the [Russian] special services'” (Posted in Russian translation by Inosmi.ru, June 28).