23 december 2008

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with little Buryat girl Dasha Varfolomeyeva, her sister and mother

Participants:
Putin asked the Varfolomeyev girls how they were doing in school, and said that the United Russia party had New Year's gifts ready for their schoolmates. "As for your school, all children will have presents. The school will receive a cutting-edge computer classroom with Internet access," he said.

Dasha, a schoolgirl from the village of Tugnui, got Putin on the telephone during his Q&A session on December 4 and asked for a "Cinderella-style dress" for the upcoming New Year's party.

The Prime Minister promised her a beautiful dress and invited her to a Kremlin Christmas-tree party.

When he received her in Moscow, Putin gave the little girl a white-and-pink dress in a beautiful box and a doll. Anya, her elder sister, received a blue sequined dress.

Putin asked his guests about their impressions of Moscow. Natalya Varfolomeyeva, the girls' mother, said they had never been here before, and liked it immensely. They had already been on several excursions. The Prime Minister said he would order a souvenir photo album for them.

Putin asked the Varfolomeyev girls how they were doing in school, and said that the United Russia party had New Year's gifts ready for their schoolmates. "As for your school, all children will have presents. The school will receive a cutting-edge computer classroom with Internet access," he said.

Putin and Natalya Varfolomeyeva discussed rural employment. She complained that unemployed people were leaving the village, so there were fewer children with each passing day - to which Putin replied, "I have spoken with heads of several agencies concerned and with your Governor. We will see what should be done for your village."