Murmansk Oblast is one of the most international-oriented regions in Russia. That is not only because of the region’s geographic location near Norway and Finland, but also because of the export-orientation of regional economy. In the years to come, Murmansk Oblast will in addition be the centre of a massive industrial development with extensive influx of foreign experts and goods as the Shtokman project picks pace. Murmansk Oblast is also an important participant in the Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation.
Negative about cooperation
That high international profile of Murmansk Oblast got a strain in the election campaign for new Murmansk city mayor. After having expressed support to independent candidate Sergey Subbotin and negatively commented on United Russia’s election methods, criticism from Moscow mounted on the governor. Much of that criticism was aimed at the international focus of the governor.
As BarentsObserver reported, President Dmitry Medvedev gave Governor Yury Yevdokimov “one last warning” and told him to concentrate on solving domestic problems instead of “fooling around abroad”. That warning came just few days after the governor had been in Norway to sign a cooperation agreement with the Norwegian county of Troms.
After that, First Deputy Head of the United Russia’s Executive Committee Valery Galchenko told journalists that Governor Yevdokimov was “betraying Russian interests in the Arctic and that he wanted to “detach the region from Russia and give it to the Scandinavians and Americans who are fighting for their interests in the Arctic”.
The Shtokman project
The governor was also accused of being too soft with the foreigners on the development of the Shtokman gas field. In several comments about the huge gas project, Yevdokimov has called for wide-reaching cooperation with foreign companies.
For years, Yevdokimov has been an active proponent of cooperation with the neighboring states and has made a number of trips to meet with foreign politicians. By many foreign partners, the governor is seen as a guarantee for continued international cooperation
Barents Cooperation
In a comment, General Secretary of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat Rune Rafaelsen says to BarentsObserver that the elections in Murmansk show that local democracy is functioning.
He also highlights the importance of a continued wide-reaching regional cooperation between Norwegian and Russian authorities and organizations within the Barents Cooperation.
-Murmansk is a cornerstone for international cooperation in the Barents Region, he underlines.
