Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlined priorities for Chechnya in three main areas: further political settlement, transfer of law-enforcement tasks to Interior Ministry and economic reconstruction, including compensations for lost housing to the population.
Political settlement: treaty with Russia, amnesty, preparations for elections
Speaking on Russia TV, Putin focused on further political settlement: "I think that here there are several priority tasks:
"The first task: it is necessary to start joint work on preparing a treaty on the division of powers between the federal centre and the Republic of Chechnya and to create such a treaty that would enable the republic to develop to its full potential, effectively, and would make it possible to ensure the interests of the Chechen people and give Chechnya autonomy in the
broadest sense of the word. The constitution of the Russian federation does allow this.
"The second most important component, in my view - work on it has already begun and it will need to be concluded jointly with deputies of the State Duma and we have discussed this many a time - is to issue out an amnesty in Chechnya.
"The third very important component - one has to do this without excessive hurry, perhaps not leaving it on the back burner either and the responsibility for this will be largely with Chechnya itself, with you as its leaders - preparations for the elections of the president of the Republic of
Chechnya have to be started on the basis of the constitution adopted by the people."
Transfer of law enforcement from FSB to Interior Ministry
Putin said law enforcement should be ultimately transferred to Interior Ministry of Chechnya: "In the law-enforcement sphere we have opportunities to start the transfer of the entire law enforcement sphere in the republic, or its main components, from the Federal Security Service [FSB] to the Russian Interior Ministry. Bearing in mind that a significant share of responsibility for the situation in the Republic of Chechnya must be in the hands of the Interior Ministry of Chechnya. We will start this work now, we will do it gradually, without rushing as the law-enforcement bodies of the republic grow stronger. I think this work should be completed by autumn."
Economic restoration, compensation to population
Putin outlined tasks for economic recovery in Chechnya: "And last, the third
component of stabilization is joint economic work, work in the economic field. There are common large-scale tasks: Chechnya's economy has to be restored and new jobs have to be created. However, there are also first-priority tasks, it is our duty to do certain things as a matter of priority. Villages and destroyed population centres must be restored. Groznyy has to be cleared and reconstructed first of all.
"The second urgent task is the payment of compensation to citizens for lost housing. There are preliminary lists containing the names of approximately 280,000 people - I already spoke about this in my address to the residents of the republic. The 2003 federal budget contains a programme for the payment of compensations. However, if we continue to make payments in the current regime, it will take 10 years or more."
Corruption and bandits must be kept away from compensations
Putin called for preventing corruption and bandits from taking compensation money away from ordinary people "However, what we have to ensure by all means is to make this sphere effectively safe from corruption. That was first. Second, however sad it may be but it needs to be mentioned too, responsibility for this will be placed with the Interior Ministry of the republic, i.e. to make sure that bandits will not take this money away from ordinary and defenceless citizens.
"If we ensure all this then one could say that the trust which the Chechens expressed in us at the referendum will be justified."