Deputy Plenipotentiary of President: Northwestern Region Is Becoming Russia's Business Centre

According to Andrei Stepanov, Deputy Plenipotentiary of Russia's President in Russia's Northwest, the Federal District is coming to be Russia's business centre. Mr. Stepanov made a statement to this effect at the international conference in Kaliningrad entitled 'Investments in Russia's Northwest: the Kaliningrad Perspective'.

Mr. Stepanov said that, 'While Russia gets involved in world economy, international financial organisations become increasingly interested in our country'. And further, 'The geopolitical situation of the Northwestern Federal District, its common borders with European countries, and the economic potential of northwestern regions make the district very attractive to investors.

However, Mr. Stepanov believes that Russia, besides investments in material production, needs those in her economic and social infrastructures. Russia's northwest offers good conditions for the development of innovational businesses.

The district, he further said, was Russia's second, after the Central, as concerned the number of research organisations. 'However', he added, 'besides the support of the country's research potential, the development of an innovational infrastructure involves the forming in public consciousness of institutional mentality and moral and psychological environment.'