Tatarstan President talks with representatives of foreign mass media in Russia

Oil production will be the main stream for Tatarstan in the near future. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov stated it at the meeting with journalists of foreign mass media at the RT Cabinet of Minister on Sunday, March 13.

The Tatarstan President offered foreign journalists (representatives of Deutchland Radio, East news photo agency, China’s Central television, Xinhua news agency, the international radio of China) to try some Tatar national dishes and made the presentation of the Tatarstan potential.

Rustam Minnikhanov told about the potential and development plans of the republic. For instance, oil has been produced in Tatarstan for over 60 years already, over 3 billion tons have been extracted so far, he told. “In near future our economy will be based on oil production. That’s why we are actively working on petrochemistry and oil refining,” the head of Tatarstan said.

According to Rustam Minnikhanov, Tatarstan enjoys a sustainable energy, agro-industrial complex. Kazan University received the status of a federal university as part of the higher education reform; Kazan Technical and Technological Universities received the status of national research universities.

“The main task of any authorities is to improve living standards in such fields as education, medicine, cultural service. A serious reform is being realized in education – over 11,000 places will be created in kindergartens this year; all school teachers will received personal laptops until the end of this academic year. It will give a serious push for more effective development of education,” Tatarstan President pointed out.

The Tatarstan President also presented the projects of the Universiade-2013 and the World Cup-2018. “After holding the World Student Games-2011 in China’s Shenshen, it will be challenging for us to keep the high level, that’s why we visited Shenzhen several time to learn their experience,” the Tatarstan President said.

Representatives of foreign mass media put questions concerning the election system, tourist potential of Tatarstan, preservation of inter-ethnic agreement in the republic, the relations with Ukraine, Lybia and China, etc.