The Ministry of Regional Development of Russian Federation has yet not passed the resolution concerning giving the Izhma Komi people (the Izvataz) status of Indigenous Small-numbered People of the North. Media-centre FINUGOR was informed about it by the honorary chairperson of the interregional social movement “Izvataz” Valentina Anufrieva.

The Government of Komi Republic sent a package of documents to the Ministry of Regional Development of Russian Federation for carrying out a special ethnoecological expertize in September 2010, after which, as it had been expected, a correspondent resolution should have been passed at the federal level till the end of 2010.

V. Anufrieva takes active part in promoting the project of giving status of Indigenous Small-numbered People of the North to the Komi Izhma, and considers it top-priority goal of the “Izvataz” movement. Thus, on the VII Congress of the movement, which took place in Izhma in September 2010, she encouraged compatriots to write “Izhma Komi” or “Izvataz” in the “nationality” column during the Census, which was held in October 2010. This suggestion was supported by the Head of Komi Republic Vyacheslav Gaizer, who also took part in the congress.

However, the leaders of the interregional social movement “Izvataz” are not just waiting for the resolution on giving the Komi Izhma social benefits to be passed by the federal government, but also planning to work out the project of social-economic development of the Izhemsky district of Komi Republic. The project is expected to include development of tourism and skiing sports (which is planned to be made the national kind of sport), providing the Izhma university-entrants with the privilege places at Institute of Northern Peoples of the Herzen State Russian Pedagogical University in Saint Petersburg, and supporting reindeer-breeding farm. “To achieve these goals, we should have an “Izvataz” representative in different social councils and ministries for the more fruitful results,” – remarked V. Anufrieva.

According to her, she intends to make a report on the forthcoming IX Congress of the Interregional Social Movement “Komi Voytyr” and suggest including an “Izvataz” representative to the leadership staff of “Komi Voytyr”.

At the same time, she mentioned that the law concerning reindeer-breeding passed by the State Council of Komi Republic in February 2011, will help the Komi Izhma people to develop this branch. “This law is very important for the Republic, it must help in solving different problems connected with reindeer-breeding farm support,” – said V. Anufrieva.