According to the regional electoral commission, more than 270,000 Astrakhan residents had cast their ballots by 12 noon on September 8, which is 38 percent of the total number of voters in the region.
Representatives of the famous Astrakhan dynasty of artists, the Biryukovs, also fulfilled their civic duty. The head of the family, Pavel Biryukov, has been working at the Vlasov Art School in Astrakhan for 30 years. His wife Svetlana also teaches there. Their children, Alexander and Alina, followed in their parents’ footsteps and became painters. The whole family came to vote.
– For us, elections are an important event that determines the future of the region. I believe that the quality of life of the residents of Astrakhan is improving year after year. And this largely depends on the head of the region and his team, – Pavel Biryukov is sure.
According to local authorities, thousands of Astrakhan residents have already taken part in the vote on the environmental tax. Near the polling stations in the region there are points staffed by volunteers where people can speak for or against the introduction of taxes for unorganised non-resident tourists.
If the region’s residents vote in favour of the initiative, the funds raised will be used to restore biological resources and improve areas that attract amateur fishermen from all over the country.
