Interfax's Interview

 After several recent attacks on law enforcement officers and officials in Ingushetia, the opinion has been expressed that the situation in the republic has worsened. Are there reasons for concern?

 - Talk of a worsening in the situation in Ingushetia is farfetched. This is mere provocation and slander. The situation is under control and we have everything in order.
 Law enforcement officers are investigating crimes. They believe that the attacks were a reaction to the energetic efforts of law enforcement officers to uproot crime.

 Unfortunately, such crimes occur in other parts of the country, not just in Southern Russia. In general, the fight against crime is a hot topic throughout the world.
 These things should not be exaggerated. They are saying in the news that Defense Ministry Regiment 503 was attacked in Ingushetia, followed by near hostilities. It is true that there was some shooting, but, thank God, there were no casualties or even damage to equipment. Though nobody was hurt, the media is fanning tensions for some reason.

 I believe that these provocative actions constitute an attempt by certain forces in Russia and abroad to turn Ingushetia into a scene for reaching some of their narrow objectives. Someone is very unhappy that Ingushetia is on the road of development. However, nobody will make us abandon it. Ingushetia is on the frontline of the struggle for the integrity of the Russian Federation.

 Do you see any need to reinforce law enforcement bodies in Ingushetia or will the republic cope by itself?

 - It has done so and I am sure it will continue to do so. There will be no more additional troops.

 When will it be possible to say that the Ossetian-Ingush conflict has been fully settled?

 - All the problems of people who want to return to their home places should be resolved.

 The federal and the republic’s authorities are doing a lot to achieve this. Much remains to be done. The main thing is to let people live where they want to. That is their constitutional right.

 Ingushetia has a program for encouraging ethnic Russians who left the republic in the early 1990s to return. Have many people been attracted back?

 - The program is not policy. We are implementing it sincerely, from our very heart. I receive hundreds of letters from Russian families wishing to return to their homes in Ingushetia. We are helping and will continue consistently offering them all-round support and assistance.

 There is much talk of Chechen refugees. Sometimes Ingush refugees from North Ossetia are mentioned. However, nobody is speaking of the Russian families that were forced to leave their homes.

 We welcome everyone who wants to come and work for the benefit of the republic. This is their homeland. But we are not rendering help on ethnic grounds. For instance, now we are commissioning 40 houses built with the assistance of international organizations. Ingush, Russians, Chechens, Ossetians, Armenians and Jews will be live in them.

 Multi-ethnicity is an asset of our republic and the country as a whole. We want every person to find it comfortable to live and work in Ingushetia.

 What is the social and economic situation in Ingushetia?

 - We are building many things. We have a lot of young families. Ingushetia has taken the lead in Russia in birth rate and in life expectancy. In just a few years we have achieved the 100% gasification of towns and villages. Small and medium businesses are developing. Tax revenue is growing. We have commissioned more new housing than anywhere else in Russia - 2.233 million square meters in three years. On the news they say grain prices in Russia are growing, yet we have the cheapest bread in the region.

 Only a few years ago Ingushetia had 210,000 refugees from Chechnya. Today you are more likely to see tourist tents than refugee tents in the republic. The United Nations and other international organizations cite Ingushetia as a positive example of resolving humanitarian problems.

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