Two letters came today from the administration of the Russian president answering the message of the representatives of the Karelian community concerned about possible future limits to publication of the magazine “Carelia,” the only one in Russia published in Finnish. The FINUGOR Infocenter was told about this by the chairman of the Karelian Congress, Anatoly Grigoriev.

The first letter was sent to Robert Kolomainen, head editor of the “Carelia” magazine. The letter says that the first issue of the “Carelia” magazine of 2013, sent to the president of Russia Vladimir Putin and signed by Mr. Kolomainen has been transferred to the library of his administration. A message to the Russian president about the fate of the magazine has also been stored there. The second letter from the administration of the Russian president is an answer to the letter to Mr. Putin, signed by 57 political and community figures from Karelia. The answer says that the letter to the Russian president has been sent for comprehensive review to the Federal Agency for Print and Mass Communication, and also the government of the Republic of Karelia. “The answer from the administration of the Russian president made us all very happy. Especially because the magazine ‘Carelia’ will now be in the library of the administration of the president!” noted Mr. Grigoriev. “On that background it is astonishing that public figures in the ministry of national politics, who instead of supporting the magazine and storing a full print publication complain about insufficient funds and the necessity of turning the magazine into an online publication.”

According to the leader of the Karelian Congress, in recent days the magazine “Carelia” has been frequented by civil servants and ministers of the Republic’s government who have been conducting various consultations and meetings. “The administration of the Russian President is making local civil servants resolve the issue in favor of the magazine ‘Carelia,’” said Mr. Grigoriev with confidence. Community members from the Republic and editorial of the magazine hope for a meeting soon with the head of Karelia, Alexander Hudilainen. A request for this meeting has already been made,” explained the chairman of the Karelian Congress as well. Finally, Mr. Grigoriev noted that the conflict around the magazine “Carelia” is widely discussed in Karelian media, as well as in neighboring Finland.

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