Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Dmitry Medvedev: First of all, Mr Kuvshinnikov, I congratulate you on the launch of the new production facility. This is indeed a much-awaited event for all PhosAgro employees, for all Cherepovets residents, and for the entire region, as the company has made significant investments. The facility is state-of-the-art, and its products are in high demand. These products are actively used in Russia and exported. Given the conditions of the growing food market, nitrogen fertilisers will hopefully be in great demand and natural gas chemistry production will grow in the Vologda Region.
However, besides production, there are also socio-economic development tasks that need to be addressed, as well as issues of territorial development. You are a young governor. You assumed office rather recently. You should work to retain all of the positive things that have been achieved in past years. You should proceed with the economic projects that have been launched and that should be further developed. This should contribute to resolving social tasks facing the region. I know that there is an issue concerning a bridge, for example, as I have been told. Please tell me what you are going to do in terms of territorial development and to solve transportation problems.
Oleg Kuvshinnikov: Mr Medvedev, thank you very much for your warm words addressed to us and our enterprises. We are proud that successful metallurgy and chemistry companies are working in Cherepovets and the Vologda Region. Today, we are bearing witness to a significant event – the launch of these new facilities. This means new high-tech jobs and unique products, gaining foreign markets, and agricultural development... This is the number-one trend at the moment – ensuring food security – as you mentioned. I’m proud that both enterprises are developing dynamically. Of course, the growth of social infrastructure should follow the economic growth of these companies. You are absolutely right. We should work with our enterprises to build new residential areas, housing, infrastructure and bridges, and also broaden streets and intersections... Today, PhosAgro employees asked two interesting questions about infrastructure. The first question concerned housing for employees.
Dmitry Medvedev: We have agreed on housing… I’m sorry for interrupting you. These need to be the right kind of housing programmes developed by the enterprise with the right mortgage rate and normal loan conditions. One employee said that he took a 10-year loan and has practically repaid it. As for infrastructure, this is joint work. What are you going to do?
Oleg Kuvshinnikov: We have offered a land plot for the PhosAgro corporate housing programme for almost 2,000 flats. We will build all utilities infrastructure on terms of public-private partnership while the enterprise will invest in housing and social facility construction – in a comprehensive housing development project spanning 45 hectares with 2,000 flats. The investment amounts to almost 9 billion roubles. So, I want to thank PhosAgro for investing such huge funds in territorial development.
The second issue is very important for us. I mean infrastructure, such as the construction of a bridge. The production facility is located on one bank of the Sheksna River, and the residential area on the other bank. The existing bridge is overloaded, working at 120% of its design capacity, and the load will reach 200% by 2020. The bridge is 30 years old. We want to ask for federal budget support and your support to build the second bridge in the mid-term to ensure safety and transport access.
Dmitry Medvedev: You are a young governor, but a man with experience. You summed everything up well just now, and I will try to do my best to extend this support. Agreed.
Oleg Kuvshinnikov: Thank you, Mr Medvedev. Thank you very much!
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Prior to meeting with the Governor, Dmitry Medvedev was shown a scale model of a residential housing construction project in Cherepovets, as well as a model of a second bridge over the Sheksna River.
