Russia’s unorthodox worshippers

Alexandre Billette pays a visit to forest worshippers of the remote Mari El republic on the Volga, who have maintained their religious traditions despite pressure from the Tsars, the Soviet regime and the Orthodox church.

On a poor road across the Mari El Republic, the village of Mari-Turek is barely distinguishable from thousands of others in rural Russia that time has forgotten. With no industry, it dozes peacefully away from the main thoroughfares of the Volga federal district.

Karelia to participate in the largest international tourist exhibition MATKA – 2010

On January, 21-24 the largest in Scandinavia international tourist exhibition MATKA – 2010 will be held in Helsinki (Finland). It has become a tradition that the Republic of Karelia by right being one of leaders tourist destinations of the Russian Federation takes active part in this most significant tourist exhibition of the Northern Europe.

To participate in the exhibition the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia within the scope of implementation of the Development of Tourism

Tatarstan President has met with Finnish Ambassador to Russia Matti Anttonen

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev met with Matti Anttonen, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland to the Russian Federation, at the Kazan Kremlin on January 19.

Issues of development of the trade and economic cooperation of Finland and Tatarstan and its prospects, investment interaction and contacts in the sphere of education and science were in the focus at the meeting.

Komi ex-governor offered post of senator

Vladimir Torlopov, who was discharged as Governor of the Republic of Komi on Friday, is offered the post of Senator of the republic in the Russian Federation Council, says Head of the Northwest Federal District Ilya Klebanov.

– At a meeting with the United Russia party fraction in the Komi Parliament Ilya Klebanov informed that Vladimir Torlopov can continue his political career as Senator for his home republic, if he wants, Komi Parliament member Bella Zabrovskaya told RIA Novosti.

New Komi Governor sworn in

The republican parliament today approved Vyacheslav Gaizer as the region’s new leader. He replaces Vladimir Torlopov who has headed the republic the last eight years.

As BarentsObserver reported, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently announced that Mr Torlopov would not be reappointed as governor. The regional leader’s term expired on 15 January. Medvedev instead proposed Vyacheslav Gaizer, the regional Minister of Finance, as new leader.

Karelia is implementing the program of state support of Karelian, Veppsian and Finnish languages

For four years Karelia was implementing The State Support of Karelian, Veppsian and Finnish Languages in 2006 – 2010 regional target program.

Last year within the scope of the Program there had been implemented 80 programs, projects, and activities directed on increase of the level of native language speaking by Karelians, Veppsians aand Finns, formation of positive attitude to languages and traditional culture of their people among the rising generation, preservation and expansion of book printing in national languages, strengthening of the role of families