The Russian Ministry for Regional Development may be supplemented by a subdivision for interethnic relations, taking over the functions of the Ministry for Nationalities, which was shut down in 2001, Kommersant reports.
The new structure will receive information about any interethnic tensions and monitor realization of the federal purpose program for 2014-2020 worth 6.8 billion rubles.Alexander Kotenkov, ex-representative of the president in the Federation Council, may become the head of the new organization.
More information about the structure will be available after additional orders of President Vladimir Putin at the end of the October session of the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations.
Reorganization of the Ministry for Regional Development was announced on November 1. Putin ordered formation of the Ministry for Construction, Housing and Utilities headed by ex-Governor of the Ivanovo Region Mikhail Men.
