11 may 2012

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev inspects a residential building constructed for veterans of the Great Patriotic War while on a working visit to the Tambov Region

Participants:

On the eve of his trip, the prime minister received an invitation to visit the home of a family of veterans. Vyacheslav Smirnov, 88, and Maria Galizdra, 90, have been given a three-room apartment in a newly-completed building, following the presidential decree to provide housing to World War II veterans.

The multi-storey apartment block was purpose-built for the veterans.

Dmitry Medvedev brought a bouquet of flowers and a tea set with him. The couple showed him around their apartment and assured Mr Medvedev that they were satisfied with everything.

"I'm very happy to visit your home, to see how the decree has been implemented and to assess the new housing for veterans not only in Moscow but also, for example, here in Tambov," Dmitry Medvedev said. "Since the decree was signed four years ago, over 200,000 veterans have received new flats, and we only have a little more to go," the prime minister added.

The couple treated the top-ranking guest to cake, sweets and jam. Maria Galizdra told Mr Medvedev about her difficult years in the war. She survived the siege of Leningrad and then worked at a front-line hospital. After the war, Mr Smirnov and Ms Galizdra studied medicine and worked in Tashkent until 1992. They then moved to Tambov and rented an apartment there for five years. They were subsequently accommodated in a retirement home for veterans and finally moved into their own flat two years ago. "I'm happy you now have such good housing conditions," the prime minister said.

While saying goodbye to the new homeowners in the courtyard, Dmitry Medvedev congratulated all the veterans on Victory Day. During a brief conversation with them, the prime minister inquired whether they were satisfied with everything. The homeowners made only one criticism, saying that they lacked a plumber. "The plumber will come right after I leave," Mr Medvedev promised.

The prime minister told the veterans that on Saturday, May 12, he will sign a government resolution regarding the procedure for making lump-sum payments to some categories of citizens in connection with Victory Day.

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During his working trip to Tambov, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev laid flowers at the Eternal Flame memorial.