The President orders severe punishment for the culprits.
Receiving reports from the Emergencies, Internal Affairs, and Health and Social Development Ministers during a video conference on Saturday, Dmitry Medvedev described the tragedy in Perm as a serious crime and called for severe punishment of the culprits under the law. He was particularly outraged by the fact that the club owners had brazenly ignored fire safety rules and had tried to save their own skins by fleeing the country after what happened.
"Orders were issued, but they did not react. It came to pass that they had invited the representatives of the organization which staged fireworks there. To begin with, they have neither brains nor conscience. Secondly, they have been absolutely indifferent to what is happening. I looked at the information and found that they are in hiding. The full punishment should be meted out to them," the President told the ministers.
The Presidential Envoy to the Volga Federal District and the governor of the Perm Territory have been told to monitor the situation and regularly report back to the President.
In a telegram to governor Oleg Chirkunov Vladimir Putin promised that the government would provide all necessary help: "At this moment of grief I ask you to convey my support and sincere sympathy for the families who have lost their next of kin. All the necessary help should be given to them and to the victims. The government will provide all the necessary resources. I also think it is necessary to conduct a thorough investigation, punish the culprits and eliminate the causes that led to that terrible catastrophe."
Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said that "there are no criminal tracks and the unpremeditated crime should be classified under the article of inflicting serious damage to health. The president, however, disagreed: you have said that there are no criminal tracks, I cannot agree with that. What happened cannot be qualified as anything but a crime," the head of state stressed. "I think this is absolutely evident. You have said that a criminal case has been initiated. Yes, it is not a premeditated crime, but that does not diminish the dire consequences. A large number of people have died."
All efforts should be concentrated on helping the victims. "As regards the social consequences, we should see what can be done by the Perm Territory and by the government's reserve fund. Assistance and a maximum of support - financial and moral - should be given to the relatives of the dead and victims," the President ordered. Medvedev also asked the Emergencies Minister to see what can be done to toughen the laws covering such cases: "Legislation should be much tougher and non-compliance, including non-compliance with the fire supervision prescriptions, must entail harsher punishment."
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December 7 has been declared a day of mourning by the President's Decree
