Tribal patriotism

The governor of the Ulyanovsk region awarded the families of babies born on June 12

Last weekend in the Ulyanovsk region they summed up the results of a marathon that lasted almost nine months, but it was almost impossible to predict the outcome in advance. The regional administration established the “Birth of a Patriot on Russia Day” campaign. These competitions of national demographic significance, which were held in the region for the third time, were announced in advance. However, it couldn’t have been any other way, because the participants in the action had to predict the conception of the child so that he would be born on June 12. The winners received valuable gifts, the main one of which was a UAZ car, respectively the Patriot model.

Several hundred pregnant women have reached the finish line: at the beginning of June, the Ulyanovsk Department of Health and Pharmacy announced that 549 expectant mothers were participating in the campaign. According to representatives of this department, the majority of births were expected on June 7-16, with 66% of the participants in the action expecting their first child. To equalize the chances, future mothers of patriots were placed under close supervision of specialists, and almost a quarter of the marathon participants (24%) were admitted to the hospital to prevent possible complications during childbirth. Leading specialists of the Ulyanovsk Regional Clinical Hospital were put on full combat readiness so that, if necessary, they could immediately go to the districts to help colleagues and provide advice on the course of action.

The Ulyanovsk-made SUV really caused a local population explosion in the region. On Russia Day 2007, 78 babies were born in the Ulyanovsk region, which is 50 more than last year. In 40 families it was the first-born, in 34 families it was the second child, and in four families it was the third, reports Regnum news agency. Then the administration spent a long time deciding who exactly deserves the main prize. Officials did not explain the selection criteria, but on Sunday the regional governor, Sergei Morozov, presented the keys to the UAZ-Patriot car to the Kartuzov family - Irina and Andrey from the village of Maloye Nikulino, Tsilninsky district, who had their third child, son Peter, born on June 12. The father of the newborn patriot works as a machine operator at the Luch agricultural production company, and his mother is a cook at the same farm. No less important gifts were presented to two more families, but they were already in the category of real estate - one certificate for the priority right to provide housing and one certificate for 250 thousand rubles. to improve living conditions.

In three months, the regional administration will announce the start of the next demographic campaign. And some organizations in the region are already preparing to support those women who dare to become pregnant in the hope of getting a new Patriot. On the day of honoring the current winners of the parent competition, the Ulyanovskmebel production association and Ulyanovsk State Technical University announced the signing of agreements with the regional administration, according to which female employees who are on maternity leave and have worked for at least a year will be paid an average salary every month.

“We must clearly and distinctly understand that the action “Birth of a Patriot on Russia Day” is for us a way to begin systematic work to solve the demographic problem,” Mr. Morozov said at the awards ceremony. And he called on his fellow countrymen to properly prepare for the next Russian Day.

Irina BELASHEVA