Russian children could spend winter vacations in Cuba

From Progreso Weekly staff

MOSCOW – Children from the suburbs of Moscow may be able to spend Russian winters in sunny Cuba, the chairman of the Moscow Region government told a meeting of Russian regional leaders on Wednesday.

“We met with the Cuban Ambassador [Juan Valdés Figueroa], who said there is interest among our Cuban comrades to help us organize year-round recreation in Cuba for our children,” governor Andrei Sharov told the news agency Interfax.

“We have the resources – 1.2 billion rubles [US$371 million] – and plan to contact the Cubans and start this project,” Sharov told the gathering of governors. “It is a very interesting project, especially in winter, when it’s cold here but warm there.”

Sharov pointed out that sending the children to Cuba would not be expensive.

“Oddly enough, a vacation in Cuba, even including airfare, would be cheaper than a holiday in the Moscow region,” he said. He did not say how many children would benefit from the plan or where they would be lodged. Last year, the region arranged for summer vacations for 18,000 Moscow children in other Russian cities.

Minister of Social Welfare Valentina Lagunkinoy said that, if everything proceeded smoothly, an initial vacation could be arranged for this winter.