Mihail Ignatiev, center

The preliminary results of the Chuvash election are now announced. The republic's

Election Committee Leader Aleksandr Tzvetkov explained the figures in the morning of September 14.

Among the candidates to become the Head of Chuvashia the former head Mihail Ignatiev leads significantly with 65% of votes. The candidate from the Spravedlivaya Rossiya Party Oleg Nikolaev is second, and Communist Valenitne Shurchanov is third with 15 and 12 per cent of the votes respectively.

Half of the newly elected deputees of Cheboksary Assembly represent the Edinaya Rossiya Party. The second largest represented party is Communists (15%), then Spravedlivaya Rossiya (12%), and "Liberal Democratic" party (8%).

The election turnout was at 58% and has not spiked any controversy nor interest.

Credit: belta.by

During Chuvash and Belorussian heads of states meeting on April 9 in Minsk Ignatiev expressed his belief that Belarus is a reliable and promising partner. The Chuvash head noted : "there are some areas of common interest that can give an additional impetus to our businessmen and enterprises and can help us develop this field through horizontal ties."

It was emphasized that the two states have worked hard to establish close economic ties which resulted in double increase in bilateral trade over the last three years. Strengthening technical, scientific and agricultural cooperation seems most promising to Ignatiev.

Anatoliy Aksakov

On September 13 Chuvashia will hold a direct election of the head of the republic (formerly president) after a decade-long break when the the official leader was appointed from Kremlin.

The current governor Mikhail Ignatyev announced his run in March. Now two more candidates will make it to the list in ballots - Russian Federation State Duma deputy and head of Rossiysa association of regional banks Anatoliy Aksakov, and the editor-in-chief of notorious newspaper Sӗtev (Bribe) Edward Mochalov.

The Communist party hasn't decided yet on its candidate. It is choosing between State Duma Deputy Valentine Shurchanov and young regional leader of the party Dmitriy Efseev.

Eva Lisina takes tribune (left), while Krasnov on vigil (center)

On March 12, Chuvash Orthography: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow conference was held in the Humanities Institute of Chuvash Republic. The event gathered together teachers, journalists and researchers.

Surely there are many thinkers and ideas on how to write correctly - those who want to return to the old rules, those who prefer no change, and those who want "reforms" like eliminating ambiguity when writing compound words. The Bible translator Eva Lisina, for instance, considers old rules to let words be perceived in deeper, more meaningful ways.

But yes, the question was put forward - is it really necessary to debate orthography when school hours for Chuvash are significantly reduced?

The Conference was attended by the head of Chuvash Republic's State Council Committee of Social Politics and National Question Peter Krasnov.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24. N. Lukianov, the Chairman of the Volga and Ural Nations' Assembly, O. Tsyplenkov, leader of Suvar Youth Association, V. Abramov, representative of Chuvash National Congress (CNC), A. Kipec, leader of CNC's Council of Seniors, famous painter Vitti Praski, members of Hastar Association and others gathered in Cafe Staraya Ploschad near Cheboksary Bay. Guests from other regions of Russia and foreign countries also joined the event.

Gathered people recalled and remembered the early steps of Declaration of Sovereignty which was ratified by the Supreme Soviet of Chuvash ASSR, its past and present relevance to the situation in Chuvash Republic.