Yesterday, at the extraordinary joint session of the two chambers of the Great Khural of the Republic of Tuva, the Chairman of the Government delivered his annual message to the Parliament. According to Sherig-ool Oorzhak, 2002 was a crucial year for Tuva. It was the year of the election of many different high-ranking members of the Government of Tuva--including the elections of the Chairman, members of the Great Khural, and the heads of alexistrations of the main Tuvan cities-- Kyzyl and Ak-Dovurak. Many government reforms took place as well. Oorzhak has given the following figures: the volume of financial help from the Central Government increased 1.4% and the number of employed citizens has doubled. The all-Russian census has also shown that the amount of crime, especially cattle theft and murder, has decreased. All of the districts of Tuva have adopted their own charters and registered them. This report marks the first time in Oorzhak's leadership that his message was not read by himself but by his Vice-Ministers, Dandar Oorzhak, Aldyn-Kys Kongar, and Radislave Bayan. The message also contained the recommendation for the Tuvan Parliament "to overcome the scruples of shyness" and to "act more courageously". Also, four variants of electing heads of local alexistrations were proposed. A critic noted that Tuva, as far as the subject of the legislative initiative, has not used this authority and have not submitted any bills for consideration by the Russian Parliament.