Karelia Received Over 600 Tonnes of Aid from Finland Last Year

Karelia received more than 600 tonnes of humanitarian aid, worth over EUR 700,000, from Finnish organisations in 2002. This was revealed to Rosbalt's correspondent by the regional Ministry of Labour and Social Development's press office.

The majority of the aid was sent to the republic by Finnish aid agency Helping Karelia, which has cooperated with Karelia since 1999. Many health, social welfare and educational establishments in the republic have received clothes, footwear, furniture, hospital equipment, and medical and other resources for the disabled thanks to the Finnish organisation.

Last winter, towns and villages in Karelia that suffered from heating failures received 40 tonnes of warm clothing, 120 electric heaters, and financial assistance for boarding schools, schools, and hospitals. The region has also been receiving medical equipment from Finland since last December.