For President Shaimiev's Victory over Himself

Abstract

President Mintimer Shaimiev of Tatarstan is undoubtedly one of the most easily recognized regional political leaders. The Russian press has a great interest in him. The name Shaimiev has "very strong influence" on lobbyists. Journalists issue diverse, at times directly conflicting, reports on the Tatarstan press. Freedom of speech is said to be quite limited, and all the media in the republic are considered to be under the president's control. Shaimiev is also reported to be open and accessible to journalists, whom he respects as the fourth estate, and to rely on them in implementing his policies. In any case, about four hundred mass media organizations are registered today in Tatarstan, and 489 newspapers are sold per 1,000 inhabitants, which puts the republic in second place among the most avidly reading regions of Russia. The president of Tatarstan received a certificate from the Union of Russian Journalists "for the openness of his communication with the press," as well as the "Silver Ray," the National Prize of the Russian Federation for communicating with the public.