Russia to increase funding of culture in 2003

It has been planned to increase the funding of culture in Russia from the federal budget in 2003 by 28%, Culture Minister Mikhail Shvydkoi said.

He expressed the hope that the financing of the film-making industry by the government will be go up by 70%. According to a program recently approved by the government, Russia is to make up to 100 films a annually. This year, the minister said, 62 films will be made. The country is approaching the level when film making flourished in the Soviet years and 75 films were shot annually in Russia.