President of Russia Vladimir Putin: I am sure you know that I get back to the Direct Line and we are making an analysis by region of the most urgent issues raised by the people. We made a selection for Belgorod Region, and I will let you have everything we have.
There are several things I would like to turn your attention to at the beginning of our conversation. The first is healthcare. I have just spoken to the people, and there is a positive trend in the sector in fact, but nothing is ever perfect. One appeal concerns insulin.
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Buying insulin, the supply of insulin to appropriate categories – this is a regional issue as well. A woman wrote to us that her daughter needs insulin…
Please look into this specific case and in general, you need to see whether people are really facing a problem: perhaps something was not done at the right time, or there were not enough funds allocated from the budget. Just look into that yourself.
Another issue that does not concern you directly is simplifying the naturalisation procedure, primarily for immigrants from Ukraine. Here is a letter addressed to the Federal Migration Service: “It is unlikely I will receive citizenship in this region; they talk about simplification all the time, but the attitude towards us is terrible.”
Please review the situation and talk to your colleagues; I will issue instructions to the Interior Minister, since migration issues are part of the Interior Ministry’s scope, but the main issue is that they are required to present a document showing that they have renounced Ukrainian citizenship.
We will pass amendments to the current legislation shortly so that documents proving that the applicant has renounced previously held citizenship are no longer required, because this is impossible with respect to Ukraine.
It will be enough for a person to submit an application for renouncing citizenship. This will be sufficient to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation.
Belgorod Region Governor Yevgeny Savchenko: That is a very good decision.
Vladimir Putin: Let’s have a talk, there are other issues…
Yevgeny Savchenko: I would like to say that we have analysed all questions received from the Belgorod region residents during the Direct Line and we are working together with the Presidential Executive Office.
We have developed measures on all issues: people are approaching us about environmental issues, as well as housing and utility matters, and we even receive questions from those who invested in private housing projects. We are keeping tabs on all these issues and will solve them in the timeframe set by the Presidential Executive Office and report back to you.
Second, Mr Putin, I would like to thank you for resolving the issue with the plant, Russia’s first bio-industry enterprise, and as such is bound to encounter natural difficulties.
I would like to thank you for resolving this issue, which was pivotal for the plant and for Russia’s bio-industry in general.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you.
Yevgeny Savchenko: The plant is already operating and has reached its production capacity.
Also, I would like to inform you that we have fulfilled your instruction that called for the creation of a museum complex for displaying armoured vehicles following, a meeting of the Pobeda committe at Prokhorovka. Here is the report on the work done.
Vladimir Putin: Have you succeeded?
Yevgeny Savchenko: Yes, and here is the report.
Vladimir Putin: I should visit it and have a look.
Yevgeny Savchenko: Sure, and you are always welcome.
In this connection, another idea is to establish a museum commemorating those who contributed to the Great Victory, that is, those involved in evacuating people: millions of people were moved from the west to the east. The memory of this human deed and those who forged the victory in the Urals and Siberia has yet to be eternalised in a museum format.
Vladimir Putin: A good idea.
Yevgeny Savchenko: Another question, Mr Putin. Mr Usmanov and I have signed a letter addressed to you in which we, that is Metalloinvest company and the Belgorod Region, propose, with the support from the federal budget, to build a sport arena in Belgorod.
Vladimir Putin: A kind of multipurpose arena?
Yevgeny Savchenko: Yes, a multipurpose one, mostly for volleyball, this is the kind of sport our region is known for, but it will be used for basketball and other kinds of sports as well.
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