Governor of Saint Petersburg Valentina Matvienko met BOD Chairman of Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) Viktor Rashnikov to discuss the implementation of the enterprise’s investment project involving the construction of an automobile pressings plant and a maintenance metal goods center. In fact, the work on both construction sites is going ahead of schedule; MMK’s top executive reports the metalwork section will have been finished by the end of the year, the delivery and assembling of all the machinery will begin in February 2009, while the plant’s production lines will have been

The Government of Chelyabinsk Region adopted a special program aimed at supporting the small and medium enterprises’ development in 2009-2011, the spokesperson for the Governor reports. The region’s Minister for Economic Development Elena Murzina reports this program is meant to contribute to the officials’ earlier efforts in the field of business promotion. In fact, over the last three years, the regional government has assisted the setting up of 6,800 SMEs, which was five times better than what was initially planned. As a result, 23,700 new jobs were created, while the people who run these

Koltsovo airport of Yekaterinburg laid a claim against VIM AVIA and Domodedovo Airlines related to the money the carriers are reported to owe the airport for ground maintenance of their aircraft. The claim is to be dealt with by Sverdlovsk Region Court of Arbitration. At the moment, VIM AVIA operates daily Yekaterinburg-Moscow flights at 7.45 from Koltsovo airport. ‘If this company fails to pay off its debts promptly, the flights won’t be serviced beginning from July 24, 2008. Passengers who bought a ticket for VIM AVIA’s flights will be able to rebook their tickets and use some other

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in SberInvestBank valid for up to 30 days dropped by 100% (from 200 million RUR to zero) in January-June 2008.

As this summer’s Olympics are about to start in Beijing, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development offers its customers Olympic-style bank cards. At the moment, five-year chip-based Visa Electron cards with the unique design are available for 400 RUR. If you’ve got a Visa Electron already, you’ll be charged for having it replaced with the stylish one in accordance with the bank’s regular tariff policies, the bank’s press officer reports. ‘Some globally important sports events have an increasingly great part to play in our lives; they bring enthusiasm and inspiration to Russian fans. We

Sverdlovsk Region Court of Arbitration started looking into the claim laid by Ural Federal District’s division of Rostechnadzor (the state environmental, technological, and nuclear safety watchdog) against Koltsovo airport of Yekaterinburg. Rostechnadzor insists on freezing the construction of the airport’s third terminal due to lack of construction permits and documents. In case the court finds Koltsovo guilty, Rusgrad, the developer, may have to face administrative liability, which means the construction of the international air terminal will have to be stopped for at least ninety days. The

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of for-profit self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in VUZ Bank valid for up to 30 days plummeted by 100% (from 34.5 million RUR to zero) in January-June 2008.

The Urals’ section of the All-Russian Stunt-Flying Championship began at Loginovo airfield a little while ago. Teams from flying clubs located in Kurgan, Kurtamysh, Ishim, Tyumen, Nizhniy Tagil, Magnitogorsk, Perm, Chelyabinsk, and Yekaterinburg took part in the competition, the spokesperson for Ural Airlines reports. After the four-day contest, the winning team will be selected and some best pilots will get recruited onto the country’s national team. In addition, a school for young pilots is to be set up in Yekaterinburg at the end of summer. ‘Apart from the direct purpose of awarding sports

Ural Federal District’s division of Federal Financial Market Service halted the issue of Great Eurasian University Complex’s registered uncertified shares. The decision to halt the issue was registered on May 23, 2008.

In June 2008, over 1 billion RUR worth of loan payments were made through Sberbank’s Ural branch’s ATMs and transaction terminals. All in all, over 30% of payments (including the paying off of loans) to the bank are generally made with the use of ATMs; moreover, the ATMs can be used for paying one’s phone and housing bills. The machines can handle cards and cash, the bank’s press officer reports. ‘These self-service devices are becoming increasingly popular with our customers. We intend to promote them further by setting up more ATMs in the most convenient places,’ Sberbank’s Ural branch’s

A new sports ground was introduced in Severouralsk within the framework of UC RUSAL’s Social Welfare Project Center’s grant program. The 250,000-ruble grant finances the Sports Summer project – the winner of the Center’s contest, UC RUSAL’ press officer in the Urals Roman Lukichev reports. The Sports Summer project provides for both the introduction of a sports ground for games and competition and for the organizations of sporting events. One hundred and eight children who are currently spending their holidays in a summer camp nearby practice there on a daily basis now. ‘The program will run

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by Bank24.ru to private individuals for 1 to 3 years went down by 12.95% (from 314.232 million RUR to 273.536 million RUR) in January-June 2008.