By Nina Kolesnichenko BOLSHOI KAMEN -- Zvezda factory workers in Bolshoi Kamen, who had not been paid in three years, on March 8 got their salaries for January, and factory management says this is a sign of more good times to come. Valery Maslakov, Zvezda's general director, said that the factory still owes its workers three months salary for 1998. "The situation in 1997 was much more complicated," said Maslakov. "The Defense Ministry still owes the factory 130 million rubles [$5.6 million]. The debt has been submitted to the budget, but there is no money to cover it." In May of last year, the U.S. Defense Department started working on a contract to recycle nuclear submarines at Zvezda. But in June, when the first submarine reached the factory, workers were on strike and failed to meet the recycling schedule. But by the New Year, a normal work regime was restored, and in February the staff completed 110 percent of their scheduled work. Signing the contract for recycling three nuclear submarines with America is scheduled for late May, Maslakov said. The second contract with the American side to be signed in March-April involves remodeling a floating shipyard to recycle liquid nuclear waste -- the only such facility in the Far East. According to Maslakov, the floating shipyard is necessary for the recycling process. Russian officials failed to find the money to repair the facility, and so American officials sponsored that as well. The waste will temporarily be stored in the floating shipyard in special containers, then put on a special train and taken outside Primorye to a special factory for processing. The Chinese Ministry of Defense is also interested in cooperating the factory. It's delegation, which visited a few Russian defense enterprises three years ago, finally has chosen Zvezda for partnership, Malakov said. Despite all the hardships, the factory has preserved its capacity, scientific and technical potential as well as the unique equipment. The first Chinese diesel submarine is slated for repair this year. Russia submarine recycling technology is in some cases better than the foreign technology, but there is no money for maintaining it. Japan seems to be interested in financing the recycling of multipurpose submarines. They participate in the development of the Sarcophagas program -- a plan to isolate nuclear submarines for at least 25 years. There is a Russian technology, and Russian specialists who can work at Zvezda. The Japanese want to participate in this unique project because they want to reduce the danger to themselves, as Japan and Russia share the Sea of Japan, said Maslakov. © copyright 1998 the Vladivostok News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in any form. [Back to News page]  [Back to Front page]  [Write to us]