[01/08/1999 - 12/15/2000]: 24194018-20060474F-001-019-2023

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

UNREALIZED, DUE TO THE RAPACIOUS ACTIVITIES OF THE CUSTOMS AND TAX POLICE, AND THE HOSTILE ATTITUDES OF THE CITY AUTHORITIES.

5. IN MANY WAYS, THE CHANGES IN VLADIVOSTOK TODAY REMIND ONE A LITTLE BIT OF THE JIMMY STEWART MOVIE, QITQS A WONDERFUL LIFE.Q IN THIS MOVIE, THE QUIET AND UNREMARKABLE TOWN OF BEDFORD FALLS IS MAGICALLY TRANSFORMED INTO A CROWDED AND NOISY POTTERVILLE, WHOSE ECONOMY RUNS ON HONKY-TONKS AND MONEY OF DUBIOUS PROVENANCE, AND WHOSE RESPECTABLE RESIDENTS DONQT VENTURE OUT ON THE STREETS AT NIGHT. THE VLADIVOSTOK OF TODAY DOES NOT EXACTLY HAVE A CASINO OR NIGHTCLUB ON EVERY CORNER, BUT THERE IS OFTEN AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR ONE. ORGANIZED CRIME IS FLOURISHING. THE BIGGEST GROWTH INDUSTRY IS TELECOMMUNICATIONS (CELL PHONES). THE STREETS, ONCE RELATIVELY EMPTY, ARE JAMMED WITH SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES Q OFTEN STOLEN Q AS WELL AS OLDER MODEL RIGHT-HAND DRIVE IMPORTS FROM JAPAN. A DECADE AGO, VLADIVOSTOKQS LATE-NIGHT TV MORE OFTEN THAN NOT CONSISTED OF AN AUTOMATED WARNING TO TURN OFF YOUR SOVIET TV SET BEFORE YOU WENT TO BED, IN ORDER TO AVOID THE ALL TOO REAL DANGER OF AN APARTMENT FIRE. THESE DAYS, IT CONSISTS OF ENDLESS FIRST RUNS OF PIRATED AMERICAN MOVIES, WITH THEIR OWN FORM OF A FINANCIAL TICKER RUNNING ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN. THE TICKER DOES NOT GIVE STOCK PRICES, HOWEVER, BUT THE NUMBERS OF ESCORT SERVICES AND CALL GIRLS. THE HILLS OF VLADIVOSTOK, WHICH WERE ONCE LAUDED FOR THEIR BEAUTY AT THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY, HAVE NOW BEEN SCARRED AND DOTTED BY THE UGLY DETRITUS OF THE SOVIET ERA: DISUSED INDUSTRIAL SITES AND HODGEPODGES OF GHASTLY APARTMENT BUILDINGS SEEMINGLY PLOPPED DOWN AT RANDOM. MEANWHILE, THE CITY OF VLADIVOSTOK, AND THE ENTIRE REGION OF PRIMORYE, IS SUFFERING FROM A PROGRESSIVE DECLINE IN ITS BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE. THE BUSES RUN ON TIME, BUT THERE ARENQT ENOUGH OF THEM. THE ELECTRICITY IS ON AND OFF. FUEL FOR HEATING AND GASOLINE IS IN SHORT SUPPLY. AND THE CITY WATER SYSTEM IS, SHALL WE SAY, NOT GOING TO GIVE EVIAN SPRING WATER A RUN FOR ITS MONEY ANY TIME SOON.

## NAZDRATENKOQS BATTLE FOR REGIONAL POWER

6. INTO THIS SITUATION HAS STEPPED YEVGENIY NAZDRATENKO AND HIS POLITICAL ALLIES. THEIR AGENDA IS NOT TO REFORM. NOR IS IT TO REVERSE THE DECLINE OF AN ECONOMY THAT STILL HAS REAL POTENTIAL. INSTEAD, AS IN SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, IT IS TO AMASS POLITICAL POWER, AND TO USE IT TO ACQUIRE THOSE ASSETS THAT ARE STILL TURNING A PROFIT. IN HIS BID FOR POLITICAL PREEMINENCE IN PRIMORYE, NAZDRATENKO HAS BEEN REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL. OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HE HAS WON THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN 1994 AND 1999 BY LOPSIDED TOTALS, EVEN AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR