Enterprises of the region are not able to eliminate back pay by the end of 2009 despite of the agreements achieved by the regional government. Total amount of wages debts currently account for 44 million rubles. Sverdlvosk Region might soon cease to be the gate for Asian drugs.

Criminal proceedings

Back pay of Sverdlovsk Region enterprises has accumulated up to 44 million rubles. The government agreed with all indebted companies to eliminate back pay by the end of 2009, according to chairman of the regional government Anatoly Gredin.

The main debtor in wages is the local factory "Automobiles and Motors of the Ural" (AMUR), which owes 33 million rubles to its employees. Criminal cases have already been opened against 12 top-managers of Ekaterinburgs companies.

Drug traffic from Middle Asia region

Head of the Federal Agency for Drug Control Viktor Ivanov opened Center for Drug Traffic from Middle Asia Analysis in Ekaterinburg last week. They hope "to block off the drug path coming from southern countries to Ural region."

Head of the federal agency held a meeting on the regional security and reported that for the past ten year heroin inflow pressure increased by 10 times, inflow of hashish increased by 15 times. The price of heroin is the cheapest in the Ural, 1800 rubles per gram, which is 2 times less than in other regions of Russia.

New senator

Council of the Federation of Russia voted for Eduard Rossel to become a new senator from Sverdlovsk Region. Ex-governor has immediately been commissioned with new powers and took up his duties in the new position.

Night clubs have been closed

Prosecutor service of Sverdlovsk Region together with EMERCOM checked out 497 night clubs and cafes. 3508 violations of fire safety regulations have been disclosed. Popular night clubs of Ekaterinburg are on the verge of closure. The list includes such popular places as Teleclub, Podval, Eldorado and others.

Test flight of Dreamliner

Specialists from Boeing conducted the first test flight of 787 Dreamliner which lasted 3 hours. Some of the parts of this new passenger air craft are produced in the Ural region. Mechanical finishing of titanium forgings has been fulfilled by a Russian-American joint enterprise Ural Boeing Manufacturing (UBM). This facility was opened in Verkhnyaya Salda by Boeing and VSMPO-Avisma in summer 2009.

On photo: a DJ in an Ekaterinburg nightclub. Seven nightclubs have already been closed, among them are Podval, Eldorado and Gold. At least 10 nightclubs expected to be closed in January.