20th Republican Village Summer Athletic Games began in the village of Malaya Purga on July 29.

The opening ceremony was attended by President of the Udmurt Republic Alexander Volkov, Minister of Agriculture of Russia Yelena Skrynnik, deputies of the State Duma and Federation Council of the Russian Federation, members of the Government and deputies of the State Council of the Udmurt Republic, heads of all Udmurt municipalities and directors of agricultural enterprises.

Addressing participants and guests of the games, Alexander Volkov said:

The Republican Village Summer and Winter Athletic Games have become not just a good tradition, but an impressive symbol of a successful socio-economic development of our villages and the Udmurt agricultural sector in general.

Year after year the number of participants in qualifying rounds and finals of the games, the quality and number of athletic facilities grow. Many of such facilities, including the stadium in Malaya Purga, have become the pride of the [Malopurginsky] district and the Udmurt Republic.

This year's games are special. While preparing for them, people of the district, with the Russian and Udmurt governments’ support, kept fighting the consequences of an emergency that occurred in Pugachevo at a Ministry of Defense  depot.  

I am sincerely grateful to citizens of Malaya Purga for the courage and self-discipline that they showed at the moment of the emergency. I’m grateful to the republic’s construction workers for their work to overcome its consequences. That trouble united us all in our desire to quickly return to a normal life. I am glad that people of the district have proved to be strong enough to not to refuse to hold the games that are to become another symbol of our ability to resolve most difficult and importants tasks. 

With all my heart, I’m  wishing a soon completion of recovery work, good health, happiness and prosperity to all people of the Malopurginsky District, and new achievements in sports and work to the participants and guests of the 20th Republican Village Summer Athletic Games.