Deputy Head of the Murmansk Regional Duma Aleksander Krupadyorov believes the coming possibilities for visa-free travel for inhabitants in the Norwegian-Russian border zone will have great potential for the region, but especially for the Russian border municipality of Pechenga.
In an interview with TV 21 he says that he is convinced that border zone passes will be issued within the end of the year.
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Krupadyorov thinks that both sides will prosper from the agreement, but that the Russians probably will make most advantage of it: - Russians adopt very easily, we are mobile and active and capture “a place in the sun” everywhere we go, he says, and points at Russians living in the Norwegian neighboring town of Kirkenes, who are very well adopted to the local life.
The high-ranking regional politician believes that business circles on both sides of the border will develop joint projects more easily with the new visa border regime. Especially tourism has many opportunities, he says, and highlights Borisgleb, the Russian enclave on the Western side of the Pasvik river, as a place with great opportunities for attracting foreign tourists to the region.
As BarentsObserver reported, a joint governmental working group says it will be possible to visit the chapel in BorisGleb chapel for tourist groups coming by river boat from the Norwegian side of the border.
Krupadyorov also believes that businesspeople from all over the Murmansk region will see Pechenga as an attractive place with the visa-free agreement.
