Discrimination on national basis
As a result of reforms which will occur in the Karelian publishing house «Periodika» since January, 2011 the magazine for children «Kipinä» ("Sparkle") will be puplished not only in Finnish, but also in Vepsan and two dialects of the Karelian language. Russian-speaking children and teenagers of Karelia may lose a similar edition financed from the budget.
Nikolai Abramov, Vepsan journalist and writerNot so long ago in the publishing house which exists on tax money there was a discussion about publishing «Kipinä» in Russian as well. But this initiative did'n meet support among the magazine's founders.
Also since the new year the cultural-educational newspaper "Licey" its appendix for children and teenagers «My newspaper +» will be closed.
As a result of all these reforms Russian-speaking children and teenagers of Karelia - who make the overwhelming majority in comparison with Karelian and Vepsan coevals — will be deprived of the possibility to read and publish journalistic and literary works. I consider that it is purposeful discrimination of Russian children on national basis.
Nikolay Abramov, journalist of Vepsan newspaper 'Kodima',
writer, international literary award winner
Web-site of the Karelian Union of Journalists
Translated by Tatiana Polkova
