Stepping into the XXI century

"TO AVERT THE CREATION OF NEW BARRIERS"

Vladimir Yakovlev,
St. Petersburg Governor responds.

        - What significance for the economic development of St. Petersburg and the entire North-West of Russia does the signing by the city's Administration of the EURORUSSIA program, which is based on the EU's Northern Dimension program, have?
        - The Northern Dimension political program is quite an important document approved by all members of the European Union and containing a number of significant provisions aimed at defining the role of the northern European region in unified Europe as well as at broadening cooperation with the Russian Federation. Its political significance lies in the fact that it is yet another attempt to avert the setting up of new barriers in future Europe, in this case, between European Union countries and Non-European Union countries.
        However, the significance of any political program lies, first of all, in its plan of action, that is, concrete projects and programs of economic, cultural and social cooperation, that are worked out as political intentions. At one time we had seriously analyzed the European Union's Northern Dimension program and phrased a number of proposals, first of all, those which were related to concrete fields of cooperation.
        The Baltic Sea Region development program, like the program of the "Hanseatic movement" revival as part of the European Union's Northern Dimension program, may become top priority for the development of the northern region of Europe under the following conditions:

1. The concept of integration shall be interpreted as equal partnership.
2. Barriers will be removed and the principles of free trade in the northern region of Europe will be supported irrespective of a country's participation in economic unions.
3. The program will not consider Russia a mere source of raw materials for Europe or for one of its regions.
4. Prospects for the development of processing and high-tech regions in the North-West of Russia in favour of the economics of the entire northern region of Europe will be taken into consideration.
5. Important projects for the environmental protection of the region will be financed (so called "hot spots," as defined by the Helsinki Commission, that is, YuZOS, Krasny Bor, the Sillama¸ waste reserve and others).
6. Nature and energy saving technologies, comprehensively provided by the project, will be applied, taking into consideration the fact that Russian organizations and institutions do not always have experience in the market promotion of their technologies. It is in this sphere that EU countries and organizations will render most support.
7. Sources of financing concrete projects will be defined, and attention will also be on financial schemes that contribute to eliminating the considerable increase of Russia's debts, as failure to settle debts is detrimental to all parties of the program.