Top government officials in the Russian republic of Daghestan have been instructed by special presidential decree to become active on social media.
Daghestan President Magomedsalam Magomedov ordered officials in the North Caucasus republic to create personal pages on social-networking websites Facebook, LiveJournal, Twitter, and Godudu.
The order, which aims to "ensure information transparency by executive bodies," according to the presidential decree, applies to the prime minister and his deputies, the state secretary, the chief of the republic's Security Council, the head of the presidential administration, all cabinet ministers, and other top government officials.
Magomedov himself is not known to be active on social media.
With his frequently updated personal page on the popular blogging platform LiveJournal, former Deputy Prime Minister Rizvan Kurbanov is considered one of the most Internet-savvy officials in Makhachkala.
Kurbanov most recently used his LiveJournal page to thank people who voted for him in the Russian parliamentary elections earlier this month.
He promised to stay in touch with them through social media after his move to Moscow to serve as a member of the Russian State Duma.
Our correspondent says social media have become increasingly popular in Daghestan in recent years. The number of Internet cafes with high-speed connections has mushroomed, including in remote rural areas, and people are increasingly accessing the Internet through smart phones.
Other top regional officials to have an Internet presence include Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has a personal page on LiveJournal.
