On January 8, 2009 President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev lead first meeting of the Republic's commission on assuring economic growth of the Republic of Tatarstan during world financial crisis, which was founded by the decree of the Republic of Tatarstan President of December 26, 2008.
RT President Mintimer Shaimiev sent congratulation telegrams to the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad and the Archibishop Anastasiy of Kazan and Tatarstan on the Nativity of Christ!