Russia's Kaliningrad to get new economic status
KALININGRAD, Russia. Feb 17 (Interfax) - Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad will receive a new economic status under a planned law.
The proposed law would replace the current law that gives the Kaliningrad region the status of a special economic zone and expires in 2013, Yevgeny Fyodorov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, told reporters.
One reason for the planned law is Russia's anticipated entry to the World Trade Organization.
The proposed law would prescribe financial, tax and organizational support for Kaliningrad to speed up its economy, Fyodorov said.
"The country is changing the type of its economy, and so we need to change the type of our industry. It needs to be brought into existence and tested out somewhere. The Kaliningrad region is best suited for the new, post-industrial type," he said.
"The draft of the new law is planned to be considered in the State Duma late this year. I think that very soon we will post it on the Internet in order to start nationwide and regional debates on it," Fyodorov said.