Nenets AO might supply gas to Arkhangelsk
Governor of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug is confident that the merger process with Arkhangelsk Oblast is irreversible and that all of Russias autonomous okrugs eventually will disappear. He now proposes to link the two regions with a new gas pipeline
In an interview with newspaper Pravda Severa, Governor Valerii Potapenko says there can no doubt that the merger process of the two regions will continue. He also leaves little doubt that all the remaining autonomous okrugs in the country will soon be merged with their bigger neighboring subjects.
As part of the integration of the two regions, Governor Potapenko now proposes to build a new pipeline from the oil and gas-rich Nenets AO to the eastern parts of the Arkhangelsk Oblast. He believes Gazprom’s gasification plans in Arkhangelsk Oblast will not cover the eastern Mezen district and that the Nenets-Arkhangelsk pipeline therefore can be justified.
Red tape
Although he welcomes the closer relations with Arkhangelsk, Governor Potapenko still admits that the merger process has resulted in more red tape in his region. After the transfer of all major powers, as well as tax revenues, to Arkhangelsk this January, all decision processes in the Nenets AO take more time.
-Organizational issues have become far more complicated, he says.
Regional gap
Although about to become one region, the Nenets AO and Arkhangelsk Oblast will for a long time remain two vastly different areas. While the resource-rich Nenets AO have average incomes of about 54.000 RUB and will complete the renovation of all housing by year 2010, the Arkhangelsk Oblast has serious problems with old housing and low average incomes. In 2007, average incomes in the region were below 15.000 RUB per month.
