English-language Mari textbook published

After almost a decade of work, and after having published a preliminary version of the first half in 2010, we are happy to announce the publication of a complete version of our Mari textbook Оҥай марий йылме: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Mari Language.

The finished book, covering 40 chapters on 771 pages, can be downloaded at omj.mari-language.com free of charge.

Leonid Markelov removed from his post as head of Mari El

Alexander Evstifeev

Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Alexander Evstifeev to head Mari El, who agreed, noting that it was a great honor for him.

“You, being the deputy envoy of the Volga Federal District, were also involved in this republic. Now a situation has arisen when the acting head of the republic has asked for another area of work. Leonid Igorevich [Markelov] has been in Mari El for 16 years and would like to change his place of work. In this regard, I have a question and a proposal: would you like to head the republic before the elections in September of this year, and depending on the results, take part in the election campaign?” Putin said.

Mari El Most Russian-Occupied Non-Russian Republic

Statistics Show

Despite Vladimir Putin’s much-ballyhooed power vertical, Moscow has not imposed an identical approach to running the various non-Russian republics of the Russian Federation, as new statistics about ethnic representation in government positions in three Middle Volga republics, Mari El, Tatarstan and Chuvashia, show.