Putin awards Kusturica with Order of Friendship

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Serbian film director Emir Kusturica with the Order of Friendship, Interfax has reported.

"Emir Kusturica, director of Rasta International production company, citizen of the Republic of Serbia, is being awarded with the Order of Friendship for his significant contribution to promoting friendship and cooperation between peoples, preserving and promoting the Russian language and culture in foreign countries," the decree says, Sputnik reports.

The order of friendship was established March 2, 1994, and since then awarded both to foreign and Russian nationals, for special merit in promoting peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between nations, for work on the convergence and mutual enrichment of culture and great contributions to the Russian economy.