Finnish support program for cultures of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia since the beginning of 2012 did not receive funding from the state to finance projects at the request coming from the Russian Federation and administered by the Society of  Matthias Alexander Castrén.

The lead project coordinator of the M. A. Castrén Society Tarmo Hakkarainen informed the media centre FINUGOR about it. According to him, the Ministry of Education and Culture has allocated funds for the Society only for the office and staff. "The activity of the society continues as before, but grants for projects not yet allocated," - he said.

As the interlocutor has explained, it is expected that the authorities will make the decision on assignment for the program to support cultures of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia in the autumn of this year.

The M. A. Castrén Society meanwhile continues to accept applications for project funding from Russian organizations and institutions in 2012. 

According T. Hakkarainen, the program itself will be restructured, but the details of this were not disclosed. Perhaps the situation will be clarified by the beginning of 2013.

*** The M. A. Castrén Society establishes communication and facilitates the interaction between the Finns and Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia, disseminating information about them and supports their culture, the desire to use their native languages ​​and their development as a means of modern communication. The Society is mainly engaged in administering and implementing programs to support the Finnish program of support of cultures of the Finno-Ugric people of Russia. The finnish program of support of cultures of the Finno-Ugric people of Russia is carried out since 1994. Annually for its realization it was allocated about 353 thousand euro.

Since the end of 2010 the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland and the Ministry of Regional Development on several occasions discussed issues of cooperation between the related Finno-Ugric peoples, more extensive joint complex projects and programs to support the implementation of the Finnish cultures of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia. According to the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation, the projects carried out with support programs were too small, in the future, according to the ministry, should be working towards co-financing of major projects, in determining the content of which would be involved and Regional Development. Clarity regarding the ability to carry out projects of Russian funding and its volume is not yet available.

During the 2011 Regional Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Suomi and advisory committee of the M.A.Kastren’s Society developed the concept of "Guidelines for the Finno-Ugric cooperation," according to which the work on the projects would be divided into three areas 1) Visual and performing arts and music, 2) Finno-Ugric languages, 3) Education of public organizations. 

By preparation of the given question the Finnish party recognized that a Russian side will cover half of expenses under joint projects, and the financing supplementing the program of support, will be requested of the Finnish funds. At negotiations in Saransk in October, 2011 on the basis of this concept it was anticipated to specify the basic directions and cooperation principles. However the legal investigation remains at an initial stage, and the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation in the end 2011 has not sent new proposals. As T.Hakkaraynen explained, negotiations between the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland and the Ministry of Regional Development on the matter are continuing.