Residents of a Bashkir village have appealed to the Pope over a damaged road
In the village of Boriskino in Bashkortostan, residents have appealed to the Pope for help in repairing the road. Locals say they have been unable to get the authorities to repair the road for years, despite numerous appeals. Due to the condition of the road, the village is effectively cut off from normal transportation links.
Residents of the village of Boriskino in the Chishminsky District of Bashkortostan wrote a letter to the Pope, asking him to intervene due to the critical condition of the road and the long-standing inaction of local authorities. People say that the situation has not changed in a decade, and all appeals have gone unanswered. “We’ve appealed everywhere: to the republic’s administrative center, directly to [district head] Rishat Anisovich Mansurov—zero results, just form letters. The road is in terrible condition… For 10 years, no repair work has been done in the village or on the road leading to it. We’re tired of promises, of our cars breaking down every day,” said one resident.
According to the villagers, the road is so badly damaged that vehicles often get stuck in the mud, and ambulances cannot always get through. The school bus, the villagers claim, also travels at risk of accidents, as part of the route passes through dangerous sections.
In addition, the village has no street lighting in some areas, and one of the wells that provided water broke down and was repaired by the residents themselves. People claim that the district authorities provide no support, and the district head, they say, has never once come to personally assess the situation. “The district provides us with no support whatsoever. And we’ve had the same district head for six years now. During that time, he has never once come to the village to look at the problems,” the residents stated.
As a result, residents say they have lost hope in local authorities and have turned to the Pope as a last symbolic chance to draw attention to their situation.
The Vatican will host the world premiere of Martin Scorsese’s new film, which features Pope Francis’s final interview, recorded shortly before his death. The screening is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the pontiff’s death and will be part of a special cultural event.
