Gifts to "Vainakh" dancers highlighted problem of social inequality in Chechnya

Authorities have awarded huge premiums and expensive gifts to dancers of the "Vainakh" ensemble on the occasion of its jubilee. Even the gifts well-deserved by performers cause irritation among the poor and needy, residents of Chechnya and analysts state.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the Chechen Ministry of Culture, the Akhmat-Hadji Kadyrov Foundation has presented the ensemble with a Scania tourist coach. Besides, each dancer has received 100,000 roubles, and the staff – 50,000 roubles each. The ensemble director, Zareta Osmaeva, has received an apartment in central Grozny, the "Grozny Inform" has reported.

Authorities should also award ordinary workers, Movsar, an employee of a Grozny enterprise, believes. According to his story, he has worked as a driver for more than 20 years, but never received a premium. He has noted that "Vainakh" is a well-known ensemble, and he "is not against rewarding dancers, if they deserve it."

Chechnya hold pretty many pompous festivities, "but hundreds, if not thousands, of Chechen families have no housing and no permanent income," Viskhan, a local resident, has noted.

Another local resident, Milana, believes that the money spent on gifts to the "Vainakh" ensemble could be utilized better.

Saslanbek Isaev, a Chechen journalist, has noted that every year many famous people receive gifts from the above Foundation.

Chechen figures of culture deserve monetary gifts, said Nasir Buluev, the representative of the "Assembly of Caucasian Nations" in international organizations of Europe. According to his version, "people are annoyed not by these gifts, but a huge gap between the rich and the poor, which continues growing."