Penza, 4 August 2014. PenzaNews. On Monday, August 4, the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev visited the Kirov sanatorium, where Ukrainian refugees are currently residing. He asked a number of questions about the lives of the foreign citizens, the level of medical care, and their plans for the future.

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After receiving complaints that able-bodied men are unable to get a job before obtaining all the necessary documents, the head of the region ordered his subordinates to minimize the present bureaucratic delays.

The migrants were mainly interested in the housing programs in the Penza region and the possibility to apply for a house or a flat after receiving the Russian Federation status of residence permits.

Elena Stolyarova, minister of labor, social protection and demography of the Penza region, assisted Vasily Bochkarev in clarifying these issues.

Summing up the meeting results, the governor stressed that Ukrainian citizens should first of all be encouraged to settle in the villages.

“Of course, housing in the countryside is not as comfortable as in the city, and the families with children are large, so we should help. We will give the necessary building materials: wallpaper, paints, et cetera. We’ll help with furniture, and will negotiate with the SMEs on this point,” Vasily Bochkarev said.

He added that if the refugees choose to stay in the city, they will have to solve their housing problems themselves — by getting involved into mortgage or equity construction, renting a flat, or seeking assistance from their employers.

“Currently, the city also has jobs, with decent wages, especially in construction industry. Construction companies, if they need the working man or managers, must use the chance,” the governor of the Penza region concluded.