OREANDA-NEWS. April 14, 2011. Medvezhiegorsk region has good prospects for development. Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov came to this conclusion upon his visit to a number of enterprises of the region.

The trip to deposit Lobskoye where crushed stone is produced has confirmed Andrei Nelidov's point of view, that at distribution of natural resources the state should work only with effective proprietors capable of using these resources both for their own benefit, and for the benefit of the people, paying wages and taxes. After installation of Finnish crushing and screening equipment at the deposit production of crushed stone has doubled. This year the enterprise intends to achieve profitable operating conditions and, accordingly, start paying profits tax. At the deposit there work 116 employees, average wages make 28,000 roubles.

However, Head of Karelia declared repeatedly, that the republic should develop not only in the line of industry, and Medvezhegorsk region has potential for alternative branches. Thus, near the town there is an alpine skiing track owned by municipal sports school. Andrei Nelidov has been there before, and, in his opinion, at corresponding investments in equipping the track with services and utilities it may become a point of interest for tourists and investors. As Head of Karelia said, the task of republican and local authorities is to provide conditions for good skiing; then potential investors will have a stimulus to build associated infrastructure that will earn profit for both local residents, and the budget. Meanwhile, the track may remain municipally owned.

Another direction that may favour the economic growth of the region and promote one of Karelia's brands is development of Karelskie Uzory (Karelian Patterns) factory which is the only large enterprise in the Northwest producing textile goods made of natural cotton or linen fabric with traditional embroideries. Head of Karelia has inspected the factory and bought himself a shirt with Karelian patterns. In his conversation with director of the factory Andrei Nelidov expressed the willingness to help the enterprise with opening its trade mission in Petrozavodsk and to render financial support for participation of unique Karelian products in various specialized exhibitions.

Then Head of Karelia has visited Karelia-DSP (Karelia Chipboard) factory producing wood-chip boards, one of the largest enterprises of the woodworking branch of the republic. Having overcome the crisis, the enterprise starts to increase its production volumes again and has already started modernization of its equipment. At the same time, another sharp turn happened in life of the factory and it has a new proprietor now. As Andrei Nelidov has emphasized, the Government of the republic will do its best to keep the enterprise from stumbling during this transition. The situation will be monitored continuously, and the factory will be rendred assistance when necessary.

As a whole, results of the trip have shown that the region, as well as Karelia as a whole, possesses good prospects for complex development combining industrial production, national crafts, and tourism.

In conclusion of his working trip Andrei Nelidov has visited the first lock of the White Sea–Baltic Canal and Sandormokh Memorial Cemetery to lay flowers on a burial place of the victims of political repressions of 1937-1938.