Alexander Stubb, famous in the Barents Region for branding the north as the world´s most sexy region, is put on track to take over after Jyrki Katainen.
Economic crisis is hitting the Russian regions with full force. Minister of Regional Development now says federal subjects might be placed under full external management from Moscow should they fail to meet the government’s strict budget requirements.
Last week’s EU-Russia session in Khabarovsk, the Russian Far East, displayed not only big geographical distances to Central Europe, but also the continued big gap in EU and Russian positions on energy and security. More dialogue is needed both parts agreed.
The Russian Ministry of Economic Development believes the Russian economy in 2010 will grow 1 percent, in 2011 – 2,6 percent and in 2012 – 3,8 percent. However, that is the most optimistic scenario.
The Barents Cooperation is this week on top of the Swedish foreign policy agenda as the country takes over the chair of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
OSLO: -I was not sure whether we would reach an agreement or not until yesterday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg says about the Norwegian-Russian delimitation deal on the Barents Sea.
Leader of the Republic of Karelia, Sergey Katanandov, is the only governor in Barents Russia on the list of the 100 most powerful politicians in Russia.
23 years after Mikhail Gorbachev suggested setting up a Soviet-Norwegian cooperation to jointly explore the energy resources in the Arctic, Statoil and Gazprom have signed an agreement that opens for cooperation in such area as geological exploration in the Barents Sea.
New governor of the Republic of Karelia, Andrey Nelidov, has replaced almost all leaders in the administration of former governor Sergei Katanandov with newcomers with no earlier adherence to the region.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre see the opening of the honorary consulate in Arkhangelsk as a completion of some of the visions launched with the establishment of the Barents cooperation in 1993. This Friday the honorary consulate in Arkhangelsk was opened.
