October 27, 2006

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

Today the first meeting of the Public Chamber of Ugra was held in Khanty-Mansiysk.

The Public Chamber consists of 44 members including the citizens with merits before the Autonomous Okrug, representatives of the trade-unions, public organizations and associations. The Public Chamber is aimed at defending the interests of the population and public associations for the coordinated decisions on the Okrug economic and social development issues.

Governor of Ugra Alexander Filipenko congratulated the Chamber members on the beginning of the work, expressed hope that this body would make it possible to construct new relations between the power and people of the Okrug. “The Government of Ugra and Duma of the Autonomous Okrug hold the well-balanced, well-thought and consequent policy of the governance. Our task is that each person feel in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug like at home”.

Alexander Filipenko noted the necessity of detail study of social and economic indicators of the Okrug development which seem to be positive. He paid attention of the Public Chamber members to the problems in the sphere of education, necessity of the struggle with poverty, which should be in such a wealthy region, issues of housing construction. “to solve the problems of the Okrug the expert assessments of the Public Chamber members and opinions of the specialists involved are important”.

In Governor’s opinion the function of the public control over the activity of state authorities is very important: “You should determine who from the officials solves problems and who prevents from solving them. It is very important for me to solve problems of ordinary people who cannot be offended”.

At the meeting it was made a decision to create five commissions on concrete directions of the activity. Vladimir Denisov was appointed the Chair of the Public Chamber.

October 27, 2006

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

Yesterday in Salekhard he events, devoted to the 10-th anniversary of the Arctic Council and 15-th anniversary of the Northern Forum international association, were finished. Governor of Ugra Alexander Filipenko as the Northern Forum Chair participated in the, He made a report at the Arctic Council Ministerial Session, chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

The Northern Forum International Association is an observer of the Arctic Council. In Alexander Filipenko’s opinion, the close interaction, coordinated work of both organizations can serve an example for establishing good neighboring relations among the countries of the Artic zone of our Planet. The Arctic Council unites states and the Northern Forum unites regions of the northern countries.

“For the first time in the world history the inter-coordinated network of organizations has been created in the North which embraces the whole Circumpolar region”, - said Governor of Ugra. “Our two organizations working together for solving the problems of the North, are a new phenomenon – forum for cooperation of regions and countries on economic, social and ecological issues. This cooperation can be used as the guide for other regions of the world where governments of the states, regions , provinces and towns support links, cooperate and thus transform the model of the international cooperation development taking into account new tendencies”.

In Ugra Governor’s opinion, it is also very important to increase cultural exchange, to support policy of Northerners’ languages and traditional lifestyle. “We should provide all people pf Arctic – indigenous and non-indigenous people, young and old people – with high-quality education, medical services and housing conditions”, - said Alexander Filipenko in conclusion. “Our work is to provide the growth of all the citizens’ life quality in close cooperation”.

The participants of the meeting discussed and adopted the document on joint actions which was called “Salekhard Declaration”. Ministers of foreign affairs of eight countries – Arctic Council participants summe dup the results of the last two years’ work when Russia was a chairing country in the Council and determined the basic directions of cooperation for the coming years. The meeting was ended with a symbolic ceremony of transfer of the chairmanship in the Arctic Council to Norway.

October 27, 2006

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

Today Governor, Chairman of the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra Alexander Filipenko, top banker of the municipal and ecological infrastructure unit of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Yevgeni Ofrikhter and Mayor of the Surgut District Dmitri Makuschenko signed the Deed of Guarantee and Support to the Project of Housing and Communal System Modernization.

It is the second agreement of the Okrug and Bank on investing the important branch of national economy – the first one was concluded with the city of Surgut and this experience allowed to hold the preliminary procedures of concluding a new loan agreement by twice quicker. Alexander Filipenko said that attracting the investments of the EBRD makes the regional authorities more confident that the program of housing and communal system development which got the status of the law in the Okrug will be implemented in the terms and amount agreed. He said that attracting the investors the Government of Ugra strives to reduce the budget expenses and to create the system of responsibility in this very important for people’s life sector of economy. “We have just started implementing the full-scale program of the housing and communal system modernization and of course other partner will appear in that for us, but today the most effective partner for us is the EBRD”, - said Governor.

Yevgeni Ofrikhter expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the Okrug and District for a well-prepared project what demonstrates the program approach to reforming the housing and communal system. Ugra is the only region in Russia which adopted a specific program of the housing and communal system reforming with concrete goals, tasks and sources of financing. The EBRD by its status should be an example for other banks which will come to this sector of economy as investors soon but the cooperation of Ugra and EBRD will not be finished but will continue.