The prime minister has visited North Ossetia and Ingushetia.
On Monday morning, Ingushetia was preparing to host the president's envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Khloponin, but he did not come alone as he was with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. "It was a total, but pleasant surprise for us. It is a landmark event for us," the press secretary of the Ingush president, Kaloi Akhilgov, told Gazeta.
During the almost two-hour-long meeting, Putin said that more than 43 billion roubles of federal money would be allocated for the social and economic development of Ingushetia by 2016.
The Federal Targeted Programme (FTP), the Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Ingushetia, which Putin signed in late December, promised the Republic 32.2 billion roubles, including 29 billion out of the federal budget and about 3 billion from the republic's budget. Another 11 billion roubles for Ingushetia is earmarked under the FTP for Southern Russia. The prime minister pledged that 2.1 billion roubles will be disbursed this year and 7 billion roubles next year. The programme of Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Ingushetia includes 130 projects. The prime minister noted that the money would be used for economic and social development and to support culture and sports.
A commission of the Ministry of Regional Development is preparing the cost estimates of the programme.
Putin also recalled that the president of Ingushetia, Yunus-bek Yevkurov, wanted to build several sporting facilities in the republic. "That is a reasonable request. We will discuss it. The republic's authorities are also planning to build a mosque in Magas. I believe this initiative should be supported. The republic needs its own religious centre," Putin concluded.
During the meeting, they discussed the problem of forced migrants from the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia-Alania. The prime minister said that all the refugees should return home. Putin and Khloponin then headed for the Beslan airport in neighbouring North Ossetia where they met with the President of North Ossetia Taimuraz Mamsurov.
The guests set the tone of the conversation. Putin inquired about the republic's results from the previous year, the situation in the labour market and how the anti-crisis measures were working. He reminded Mamsurov that Khloponin had been told to submit a comprehensive programme on the development of all the North Caucasus regions to the government by July. In connection with this, he requested that the republic's authorities cooperate more broadly with the president's envoy.
A source from the North Ossetian government told Gazeta that the meeting was a total surprise for them and for the government of Ingushetia. "This is a landmark event with a positive outcome. The republic's authorities were met with understanding and support from the Russian prime minister. This makes us optimistic about the fulfillment of the goals set," the official said.
"The president and the prime minister are introducing their man, Khloponin. They are sending the message to the regional leaders that because of the importance of the tasks set for them, these issues have to be agreed upon with him," Deputy Director General of the Political Technologies Centre, Alexei Makarkin, told Gazeta. "He is a figure they trust," he added.
"We have analyzed our options, we have given ourselves realistic goals and we know how to go about solving them," Mamsurov assured Putin. The prime minister approved the guidelines of the republic's development in the context of the regional strategy submitted by the head of North Ossetia. Then, he wished everyone success and flew off to Moscow.
Nikita Fyodorov