Second Stage of "Kaliningrad - Italian Foreign Ministry" Project Begins in Kaliningrad Region

The second stage of the "Kaliningrad - Italian Foreign Ministry" project, which is being implemented by the Kaliningrad Institute for International Business and the Italian Informest agency with the support of the Italian Foreign Ministry, has begun in the Kaliningrad Region. According to Rosbalt's correspondent, a seminar entitled "Government - Private Business Relations. From an Exchange of Opinions to Joint Projects" was held on Wednesday in the regional parliament. It was chaired by the project's director, Ugo Poli. Using the industrial town of Sassuolo as an example, he demonstrated how economic success can be achieved with a consensus between government and business.

The project whose implementation began in April, is aimed at working with the Kaliningrad Region to study possible opportunities to attract Italian investors to Russia's most western region. During implementation of the first stage of the project a special internet site aimed at Italian business was set up, and a pamphlet on business in Kaliningrad was published.

The cycle of seminars will continue to the end of November. The Italians plan to hold four seminars with Kaliningrad businessmen, legislative assembly members, and representatives of government structures. The seminars will also include businessmen who have experience of working in Russia: Riccardo Remedi, the head of the sales department of the Faber company, and a director of Faber Luki, which was created in the town of Velikie Luki, and Francesco Priolo, who has transport companies in Trieste, Central Europe and Russia.

The final stage of the project will be the opening of an Italian information centre in the Kaliningrad Region to support Italian investors wishing to work in Kaliningrad, and Kaliningrad residents attempting to establish contacts with Italian partners.