The nine-year-old Siberian girl Dasha Varfolomyeevaya invited to meet the New Year in Moscow by the Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has been bought a ticket to the capital by local authorities in Irkutsk after a row over her trip was resolved.

應俄羅斯總理普亭之邀到莫斯科過新年的西伯利亞九歲女童達莎，在她的旅程引起爭議後，已經由伊爾庫茨克地方當局出面買妥機票解決。

Dasha Varfolomyeevaya called Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his televised question and answer session on December 4 to ask for a new dress. In reply, Putin invited the girl, from a remote village in the East Siberian republic of Buryatia, to meet him in the New Year in Moscow.

達莎12月4日趁俄羅斯總理普亭上電視回答人民問題時打電話給他，向他要一件新衣，普亭在回答時，順便邀請這個來自西伯利亞東部布里亞特一個偏遠村落的女孩於新年期間到莫斯科和他見面。

"It is nearly New Year," Dasha said. "We live on my granny's pension, and there is no work in the village. Me and my sister dream about new dresses. I want to ask you for a dress like Cinderella's. Please be a kind wizard for us on New Year."

「快過年了，」達莎說。「我們靠老奶奶的退休金過活，村子裡又沒什麼活兒可幹，我們姊妹都好想穿新衣，我想向你要一件像灰姑娘一樣的新衣。求求你行行好，新年當我們的巫師。」

New Year is the major commercial and social winter holiday in Russia. Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7, but is an entirely religious holiday.

元旦新年是俄羅斯冬天最重要的商業和社交假期。俄國東正教聖誕節落在1月7日，但當天純粹是宗教節目。

"I invite you and your sister, and your granny as well, to all meet the New Year in Moscow. We will deal with the presents then," Putin replied. He also added that, "I think it would be right for you to think about not only what you need at New Year, but also what your grandmother needs."

「我邀請妳們姊妹和妳奶奶新年期間都到莫斯科來，到時我們再來處理禮物問題，」普亭回答，他並說，「我想妳不只要想想自己新年要什麼，也要想想奶奶要什麼才對。」

The girl's mother told Russian media that straight after the program, local officials called her to promise that they would pay for return tickets to Moscow for Dasha, her sister, her parents, and her grandmother. However, a few days later, they had a rethink on their generous offer and said that only Dasha and her sister, Anya, would go to Moscow. The sisters were to be sent to the capital with a group of children that the republic had already planned to send to Moscow for New Year. Two other children would simply be removed from the list and Dasha and Anya would take their place.

女孩的母親告訴俄羅斯媒體，節目播出後，當地官員就打電話給她，答應他們願意負擔達莎姊妹，她父母和她奶奶到莫斯科的來回票。但幾天後，他們重新考慮這麼大手筆的支出後表示，只有達莎和她姊妹安雅可以到莫斯科，她們將和一群原本就計畫送到莫斯科過年的小朋友一起去，但其中兩個孩子將被刪除，由達莎和安雅取代。

Dasha subsequently said that she would not go to Moscow as she felt sorry for the children whose place she was to take. The dispute was resolved when local officials announced that they would pay for return plane tickets for Dasha, Anya, and their mother, as well as accommodation. They are to leave for Moscow on December 24. A return ticket to Moscow costs around $725 for an adult and $500 for a child.

達莎隨後表示，她覺得占了其他兩個孩子的名額，她很抱歉，所以不想到莫斯科，最後在地方官員宣布他們願意負擔達莎、安雅和她們母親的機票和住宿費用後，紛爭才解決。她們12月24日到莫斯科，到莫斯科來回機票成人要725美元，兒童500美元。

Photo shows Vladimir Putin (L) speaks with Dasha Varfolomeyeva during their meeting in Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow on December 23, 2008.

圖為普亭（左）和達莎去年12月23日在莫斯科市郊諾沃歐加優沃住處交談的鏡頭（圖耟法新社）。