Kaliningrad will be raised for $3 billion

The government has finally approved the development program for the Kaliningrad region for the period until 2010. As stated by the head of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, German Gref, whose department created the document, “the program has raised virtually no objections.”

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has divided the nine-year path of revival into two stages. Four years - from 2002 to 2005 - were allocated for overcoming the crisis, and another five years - from 2006 to 2010 - for development itself. The cost of the project is $3 billion, and only 20% is expected to be allocated from the federal budget.

Among the priority areas, Mr. Gref’s department highlighted the development of the transport system, communications and telecommunications, and energy. The largest projects are considered to be: the construction of a deep-water port in Baltiysk, a thermal power plant, and a fiber-optic line to St. Petersburg.

Somewhat unexpected was the government’s decision to suspend the extraction and processing of amber in the Kaliningrad region for two years. Until now, Mr. Gref has not been able to lobby for this position, since his opponents turned out to be stronger. But yesterday, the minister still managed to convince the prime minister that there was no other way to prevent smuggling and critical overstocking of the market, which serves to lower prices.

"News Time"