Chairman of the parliament committee on culture, science, education and national issues Razil Valeev opened the proceedings.

He reminded that the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced 2012 the year of Russian history, and the year of historical-cultural heritage in Tatarstan (according to the RT Presidential Edict). This sphere is regulated by the two laws – federal and republican. Integrated solutions of problems connected with preservation of ancient monuments has become possible owing to federal addressed program on restoration of the Kazan historical center and realization of projects on restoration of ancient Bolgar and island town Sviyazhsk.

Issues of preservation of cultural heritage on the threshold of Universiade-2013 are taken under special control by the Tatarstan President. State Council deputies got involved in this work this year in January. They personally coordinate 14 objects.

“Within the last 10 years total sum of funds allocated for repair, restoration and conservation of cultural heritage objects has made 8 bln 887 mln, including 5 bln 167 mln from federal budget,” Razil Valeev said. The most disturbing issue is restoration and maintenance of written monuments. Creation of a special center is absolutely essential to take up this problem.

Moreover, the prosecutor Ildus Nafikov presented rather alarming facts: in accordance with different assessments of experts the state of only 30 % of buildings, objects of cultural heritage, is satisfactory in Kazan.

Participants of parliamentary proceedings suggested certain recommendations noting that issues of preserving historical heritage require immediate solving.