Sept. 12 = Conception Day in Russia

[Nehkara]

Russians offered cars for babies

Don't be surprised if the streets are empty and curtains drawn in this central Russian region Wednesday as residents take up an offer by the regional governor to help stem Russia's demographic crisis.

Ulyanovsk Gov. Sergei Morozov has decreed Sept. 12 a Day of Conception and is giving couples time off from work to procreate. Couples who give birth nine months later on Russia's national day -- June 12 -- will receive money, cars, refrigerators and other prizes.

It's the third year that the Volga River region, about 550 miles east of Moscow, has held the contest. Since then, the number of competitors -- and the number of babies born -- has been on the rise.

Russia's population has dropped since the 1991 Soviet collapse, fed by declining birth rates, a low life expectancy, a spike in emigration, a frayed health care system and other factors. The country -- the world's largest -- now has just 141.4 million citizens, making it one of the most sparsely settled nations. And experts estimate the population could fall below 100 million by 2050.

In Ulyanovsk, everyone who has a baby in a local hospital on June 12 gets some kind of prize. The winners of the grand prize -- a locally made SUV called a UAZ-Patriot -- are couples judged by a committee on criteria such as "respectability" and "commendable parenting."

[lifer]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

Russians offered cars for babies

That's why Giordano went...

[simmer2]

I am envisioning parents turning over their babies at the car dealership for a new set of keys.

[zukes]

.....checking flight prices to the motherland. I'm half Russian, never been there though, seems like a good time to visit.

[Sylvanfan]

Wow, and here I thought nature was a bit more complicated than a simple, take an hour off work shag....wait 9 months, have baby and than collect your car. I wonder if they factored in next year being a leap year and having an extra day with all this. Maybe they need to look at some more realistic solutions to get the birth rate up.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by zukes

.....checking flight prices to the motherland. I'm half Russian, never been there though, seems like a good time to visit.

No lines!

[Gugstanley]

I think they should have covered travel so some of us could fly over an help out.

[Neeper]

Can we volunteer?

[arsenal]

that's what i am thinking. There are some attractive russian ladies out there, but I think they can use some DNA from outside of the gene pool.

Where is the sign up sheet?