Aleksandr Nazarchuk, who chairs the Legislative Assembly in Altai Krai, has proposed holding referenda in that krai and in neighboring Altai Republic on merging the two regions, "Kommersant" reported on 4 December. Nazarchuk first proposed holding such a referendum in May 2001, but the leader of the Altai Republic, Semen Zubakin, opposed the idea. Nazarchuk has worked closely in the past with current Altai Republic leader Mikhail Lapshin, who was elected in December 2001. (Lapshin ...