OREANDA-NEWS. August 13, 2010. Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov had a meeting with members of the Council of Karelians, Veppsians and Finns under the Head of the Republic of Karelia. One of the main issues of Andrei Nelidov's first official meeting with the national public were amendments to the Constitution of the republic to be considered at the session of regional parliament on August, 16 under the initiative of the Head of Karelia.

As a whole, participants of the meeting have supported these changes, having noted, that they allow to reduce bureaucratization of the authority, to raise its efficiency and to cut down budget expenditure.

As Chairlady of the Vepsian Culture Society Zynaida Strogalshchikova has emphasized: "Now when the Head of Harelia also holds office of the prime minister documents will pass less stages of consideration, parallelism in work of the authority is excluded, the administrative personnel is reduced and budgetary funds are saved."

This opinion is also shared by the Chairman of the Ingermanland Union of Finns of Karelia Vadim Byurkland: "Creation of more precise and clear structure of the authority, first of all, saves time at consideration of issues important for the republic and saves funds."

In turn, the Karelian Congress Chairman Anatoly Grigoriev has noted: "All these changes are meant to increase efficiency of the administrative structure, to work more effectively in interests of the republic, its population, and to raise Karelia's prestige in Russia."

Also matters at the meeting concerned development Karelian and Veppsian languages, formation of the reserve of national specialists and perfection of legal base necessary for it.

As Andrei Nelidov has told, it was no coincidence that his accession to office of the Head of Karelia took place in the National Theatre of the republic. It was an absolutely precise signal that role of Karelia, its cultural and ethnic identity within united multinational Russia should raise. "My team intends to to do its best to make the republic special, to make the title of a Karelian prestigious. – Andrei Nelidov has declared. – Then the issue on the number of indigenous peoples of the region will be solved, too. Those who ignore their roots today, will remember them when the word 'Karelian' sounds proud."

"As a whole this meeting was of a very pleasant impression, – Anatoly Grigoriev has concluded on results of the conversation. – All its participants have got an opinion that the new Head of Karelia actively supports interests of the Baltic and Finnish peoples that are the ethnic core of our republic. It is nice that among already approved ministers of Karelia there are representatives of the Karelian people. Theis is the native of Olonets, Assistant to the Prime Minister Marina Nikishina."

"It was important to us to know that that opinion of the national public is significant for the Head of Karelia. Together we can do a lot for development of the republic," – Vadim Byurkland added.

It was decided to continue work of the Council in the future. Meetings will be held not less often than once in three months.