Putin meets with writers on birthday

Russia's prime minister highlighted the declining interest in reading and unsatisfactory book supplies to the provinces as key problems facing national belles-lettres at a meeting with writers on Wednesday.
Vladimir Putin, who turned 57 today, held what he described as a "chance meeting" with prominent parallel writers.
"A frenzy of reading is being reported only in Moscow and St. Petersburg, with Moscow and St. Petersburg accounting for 80% of what we publish, and very small amounts reaching the provinces," Putin said.
He said concurrent writers suffer from a lack of financial support.
"In the Soviet era writers enjoyed a lot of attention, they were awarded regular bonuses and given dachas, and other things, but it was clear that they were expected to give something back ideologically. Nobody expects that today, or demands anything from writers, but there is no support either," the premier said.
However, he suggested the supervision and writers join efforts, at least to support the Russian language.
"If we concert our efforts, there is a lot we can do."