Russian minister on the improving social and economic situation in Chechnya

The restoration of Chechnya's social and economic sphere is in progress, Russia's Minister for Chechen Affairs Stanislav Ilyasov announced during a Tuesday meeting with Reino Paasilinna, the head of a European Parliament delegation that had recently returned from Chechnya, where it had seen the progress of restoration works at schools, hospitals and other social institutions.

The republic has practically restored transport communications and energy and gas supplies, Ilyasov stressed. He reminded the delegation that "just a short while ago, there was smoke all over the republic, schools and hospitals were closed, and social institutions frozen." Reino Paasilinna, on his part, confirmed that the delegation had seen "the progress in the restoration of the social and economic infrastructure."