Moscow announces aid programme for ethnic Germans in Russia

Moscow - The Russian government announced Monday an 80- million-euro (109-million-dollar) programme to lure back Russians of German ethnicity, Interfax news agency reported. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov authorized the programme in Moscow which would aid the social and economic development of the ethnic German community in Russia. The aid will be offered for the building of houses and infrastructure, and for the improvement of education and health facilities. It is expected to particularly benefit regions in Western Siberia and along the Volga river. The programme is part of Russian efforts to halt the decline in the country's population. According to a UN study, Russia will need 2 million immigrants in the coming decade to maintain economic growth. According to official statistics, the number of ethnic Germans in Russia fell by 30 per cent between 1989 and 2004 to around 600,000. However, Russian media reports say that every year thousands of them return to Russia because of dissatisfaction with their new lives in Germany. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

And Also

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups - PopEater
Office 2010 confirmed for June 2010 - The Tech Herald
EVE Online: Dominion Arrives Today - Cinema Blend
SuBo's Huge Payday and Tiger's Impending Mistress 'Bombshell' - PopEater
A&E series 'Hoarders' and 'Intervention' premiere Monday, Nov. 30th, preview

Europe

Europe News

Moscow announces aid programme for ethnic Germans in Russia

And Also

Your Talkback on this Story

Similar articles

Latest Headlines in Europe

Older Talkback

From Sites we Like

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print