The Russian Imperial House wants to return to Russia
to promote civil society and the development of legal bodies, a representative
said on Friday in Moscow.
"The Imperial House wants to come back to Russia
for permanent residence and we believe this will happen like it happened in
many countries," chancellor Alexander Zakatov said at a news conference.
The Russian Imperial House was forced to be in exile following
the murder of the tsar's family in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg
in 1918. The Romanov dynasty is governed by laws of the Russian Empire.
The Romanovs insist their return to Russia
has no political goal, such as the restoration of monarchy, but is linked to
their wish to take part in cultural and charity events that contribute to
strengthening of civil society in Russia.
Zakatov said the government needed to put forward an
official view on the Romanovs' role in Russian history so that they could return
to the country on formal basis, not as individuals.
The members of the imperial family are Grand Duchess Maria
Romanov, her mother Dowager Grand Duchess Leonida Romanov, Grand Duke Georgii
Romanov and Princess Ekaterina Romanov.
Maria, who heads the House, and Leonida Romanov live in Spain.
Georgii, Maria's son, lives in Luxembourg
and has been working for the European Commission since 2001.
Ekaterina, the granddaughter of Grand Duke Konstantin, lives
in Uruguay.
The descendants of the Romanovs have sought since 2005 to
have the last tsar and his family exonerated as victims of political repression.
Maria Romanov says the killings were a state-sponsored execution rather than
murder.
