A joint trans-border policy for Northwest Russia
Northwest Russian regions should have a joint trans-border policy, one of the top presidential aides to the area argues.
The different Northwest Russian federal subjects with borders to foreign countries have their respective trans-border policies, but there is no joint policy for the whole region, Deputy Head of the Northwest Russian Province administration Yevgeny Lukyanov said in a meeting with governors last week. Mr. Lukuyanov especially highlighted the need for joint criterias on project efficiency, as well as a joint information system. He also called for a stronger involvement of municipal and public organisations, Regnum reports.
The federal representative highlighted the rich experiences which have been accumulated in projects implemented in Northwest Russia. A significant number of these projects have been organised together with partners from Norway, Finland and Sweden.
The Russian federal government in 2001 adopted a Concept document on trans-border cooperation. That was later followed up by regional documents in the respective border subjects. Murmansk Oblast adopted its trans-border policy concept in 2007.
The Northwest Russian subjects with borders to neighboring countries are Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, Kaliningrad Oblast, Leningrad Oblast and Pskov Oblast.
