As the deputy Head of the Sverdlovsk Region Government and Minister for Economics and Labour in Sverdlovsk Region Galina Kovaleva reports, ‘The period of 2004-2005 has laid a profound foundation for the region’s economic development despite minor setbacks in power engineering, food industry and agriculture due to specific climate conditions. The expected investments increase is 86 billion RUR, which is 24.6% compared to last year’s data. Trade turnover has gone up to 230 billion RUR due to the introduction of a fairly large number of retail and wholesale chain stores and outlets (25% compared to last year’s data). The gross regional product is predicted to reach a point of 16% by 2015, as opposed to this year’s 13.5%. This means that, within the structure of gross regional product, industry comes to be replaced by services. We are planning on reaching a balance of 40% in the industrial sphere and 60% in the sphere in of service by 2010, as opposed to today’s 52% vs. 48%. Our gross regional product has been estimated at 108%, or 400 billion RUR in 2005.’