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Conference in New York discusses how to inform fellow-Russians in law changes

It brought together more than 100 activists of compatriots’ organizations and the Russian veterans of World War II living in New York

NEW YORK, November 26. /ITAR-TASS/. Promulgation of ties between Russia and the populous community of Russians living in the US was the central issue at a pan-American conference of fellow-countrymen that was held in New York on the occasion of the 20th anniversary since the endorsement of the effective Constitution of the Russian Federation.

It brought together more than 100 activists of compatriots’ organizations and the Russian veterans of World War II living in New York.

The conference participants gathered Monday night at the initiative of the steering council of Russian compatriots in the US and with an active assistance of the Russian Consulate General in New York.

Vyacheslav Yelagin, an advisor of the Fund for Support to and Defense of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad was the main guest speaker at the gathering. He told the fellow-Russians about the laws and legislative initiatives aiming to raise the legal status of compatriots abroad.

The participants were particularly interested in the prospects for simpler procedures of getting Russian citizenship and the opportunities for getting Russian pensions for the record of work at organizations and industrial enterprises back in their homeland.

“The goal of this conference, which is held in the US for the first time, is to inform the active members of the community on the changes that have taken place in Russian legislation since the endorsement of the incumbent Constitution,” Igor Baboshkin, the chairman of the steering council of compatriots in the US said.

“Also, it’s important to remove the misunderstanding still widespread among a considerable part of the fellow-countrymen here regarding the principles of democracy and the country’s state structure the way they are reflected in the Constitution,” he said.

Participants in the conference spoke in favor of regular meetings with representatives of the Fund for Support to and Defense of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad, who they hope will give them practical assistance in the solution of everyday problems they come to grapple with in the US.

This assistance may take a wide range of forms from professional consultations to subsidies for legal services in the situations where their rights and freedoms have been infringed.