By Vestnik Kavkaza
The leader of Ingushetia has become the first head of the North Caucasus Region to visit Vestnik Kavkaza. Yevkurov has reaffirmed his reputation as the most communicable politician in such a complicated region as the Caucasus. Perhaps Yevkurov’s openness is the basis of many positive moments in Ingushetia. All Ingushetia's inhabitants know his cellphone number that they can use to complain about functionaries or ask for advice. Farmers, according to the republican program, will have guaranteed access to the Ingush authorities to solve their problems. The Caucasus values businesslike and accessible authorities, not corrupt and closed ones. Hence the respect for the leader of Ingushetia in the North Caucasus, despite the complicated interethnic differences Ossetians and Ingushetians have experienced from radicals who caused tensions between the two peoples. The Ingush leader’s plans to normalize the internal situation in Ingushetia and around it have good chances of success, because it seems that Yevkurov has managed to form a team of like-minded people. The facts indicate that he knows how to solve various problems.
Continuation
- Do guys who study outside of the republic come back home?
- The majority of them return home. Although I am inclined towards a situation when they work outside of the republic in order to gain better experience. I asked governors to hire 3-5 college graduates in regional administrations or municipalities so that they could gain some experience. After 1-3 years you already have ready-made professionals with theoretical knowledge and practical skills from an interesting place. Returning home, they can bring something interesting, something better. They have a chance to compare their work in the Belgorod region with their work in Ingushetia. As a result of such requests, last year we helped more than 120 young professionals and graduates get jobs in the regions. This is a big potential.
In addition, a number of our own people with money came up with some funds and sent 20 children to study abroad who enrolled in European universities to be good professionals. Certainly, there should be more of them. I think my countrymen with money will help me. If only we sent at least 50 young boys and girls abroad to gain experience, because a European education is necessary, as the world economy is integrated. There is a need for it. It is not enough to study the economy of a Russian constituent or Russian region. We need to be outgoing, particularly because there are more and more foreign investors coming. We need to study the global economy and international law. Therefore, we are working in this direction, but after all our resources are not enough to give everyone an opportunity to study abroad.
- The rural population in the republic accounts for 57.5%, if I'm not mistaken. This is a very high number for Russia. The agrarian sphere has a relatively high share in the republic's system. Is farming developed? Do the authorities help farmers?
- We're very much focused on this. Even before the sanctions and import substitution, farmers, farms, family farms were working in various spheres of agriculture and are now working on import substitution and are also ensuring that the republic gets the products that they produce. This applies to meat, milk and cheese.
- We don't need Italian cheeses if we have cheeses from Ingushetia.
- Italian cheese is good, but Ingush, Caucasian cheeses are better. We are currently building the so-called "five whales" in the agricultural business. The first one is gardening. We are using Italian technology of intensive gardening. This year we'll have our first harvest. Next year we will be ready to meet 60% of the apple needs of the republic of Ingushetia. Later we will go even beyond the region of the North Caucasus. We are the most ecologically-clean region, with the most ecologically-clean apples, peaches. We have planted about three varieties of black cherry and plum trees.
We also have a focus on vegetables. We have greenhouse complexes with garlic, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers, potatoes. Currently, three private businessmen are meeting 100% of republic's needs in potatoes. Thanks to them, we are keeping the prices of potatoes from growing. Corn crops are growing quite well here and we want to focus on corn. Recently we talked with the Chinese about how to realize different products, not only corn. We put less emphasis on wheat and rye, if they are not in demand by people who keep cattle.
We also focus on meat production by supporting private owners of peasant farms and cattle and by building a milk and meat complex, which we are about to commission, and by supporting other directions. We have about 20 major manufacturers, keepers of large cattle herds. We want to focus on them in order to develop this sphere. And we'd like to give them government orders so that they would not have to worry about what to do with the hides, milk and meat.
- They live in the mountains, I guess?
- Not only in the mountains, they also live on the plains, there are even more of them on the plains. Those who have 50 or more cattle units also receive pretty good support. We hope that we are increasing the supply of the republic and that we'll be able to export it.
And, of course, one of our focuses is on milk production. In this regard, we make use of state institutions as well as of the milk and meat complex, which will be finished and will undoubtedly help to revive the Soviet past, the gathering of extra milk from people to encourage people to keep cattle in their villages. With this objective in mind, we've developed a program which will be approved soon. Every actor in this sphere will be identified and we will personally communicate with them. They will be encouraged to communicate directly with the head of the republic in case they hajve any problems with the law or with people. They will have the opportunity to meet with us once a month. Together with the officials I will personally support their projects, advertising them in the media.
