According to the Modern Urban Infrastructure Research Institute’s survey, 78% of Yekaterinburg’s dwellers believe transportation problems are the city’s principal trouble at the moment. 72% feel the main problems are of environmental nature, while 45% of respondents claim a modern and accessible social infrastructure is needed badly, that is, new hospitals, kindergartens, and schools. As for the good things about the city, the locals report employment and entertainment opportunities are Yekaterinburg’s strongest points, with 52% and 50% of respondents ranking these as the city’s top bonuses,

‘The bank and business cooperation is one of the oldest Russian banking market’s sectors and is also one of the most conservative ones. The latest breakthrough in the field occurred even before the banking crisis of 1998 and consisted in the introduction of a 24/7 remote banking service targeted at saving the bank and the customers’ time. As for the decade that followed, despite the soaring loan volumes offered to small and medium enterprises, all the so-called innovations were merely an adaptation of earlier (and better) policies. There is a reason for this: most banks have already acquired

The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development was Sverdlovsk Region’s No.1 bank in terms of asset volume in the first half of 2008, RosBusinessConsulting reports. The bank’s net assets reached 46.583 billion RUR on July 1, 2008, which is the 59th best result among Russia’s top 100 banks and the best result among all the Ural ones. The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s net assets went up by 56.2% compared to July 1, 2008, so the bank was therefore promoted by eight positions in the Top 100 rating over one year, the bank’s press officer reports. This dramatic business expansion

Ural Airlines’ employees decided to donate their day’s pay to war victims in South Ossetia. ‘Even though the war is over, thousands of people have lost their relatives as well as their homes. Russia has welcomed over 34,000 refugees already. The children are having a particularly hard time, as they need the adults’ help. This is why we transferred our day’s pay to the account meant for the children of South Ossetia. The idea was originally proposed by the company’s management and supported by flight attendants, pilots, and air-technical safety specialists,’ Ural Airlines’ press officer says.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service declared on September 1, 2008 that TEZ Tour, the major tour operator, violated Article 5 (parts 2 and 3) of the federal advertising legislation with ‘undue advertisements’. The inquiry into the case started after Rostourism and Intourist complained about TEZ Tour’s Channel 1 ad that said the company was ‘No.1 Tour Operator’. The Federal Antimonopoly Service found the advertisement improper and insisted on discontinuation of the offense. Article 5, part 2 of the federal advertising act says an advertisement in which the product advertised is inappropriately

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by VUZ-Bank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for up to 30 days went down by 64.64% (from 20.15 million RUR to 7.125 million RUR) in January-August 2008.

Sverdlovsk Region Court of Arbitration’s first hearing of the claim laid by Koltsovo Airport of Yekaterinburg against Domodedovo Airlines has been scheduled for October 3, 2008. Koltsovo Airport insists on getting 23.75 million RUR worth of debts the airline owes the airport for ground handing services and operations.

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Sverdlovsk Gubernskiy Bank to for-profit self-regulatory organizations for up to 30 days dropped by 27.81% (from 27.708 million RUR to 20 million RUR) in January-August 2008.

Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Eduard Rossel had a meeting with Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland during his visit to Finland. The Governor informed the Finnish official that Sverdlovsk Region hosted fifteen foreign consulates at the moment and suggested that the Finnish authorities should consider introducing a consulate in Yekaterinburg. ‘Our experience has shown that the setting up of a country’s consulate usually boosts the development of the two areas’ trade and economic relations as well as all the other forms of cooperation,’ Eduard Rossel said. The

Starting September 3, 2008, Ural Airlines’ customers can use the new international Yekaterinburg-Helsinki-Yekaterinburg flight the carrier is to operate under the code sharing agreement they have with Finn Air. The flights will be operated three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays using foreign aircraft. The planes take off in Yekaterinburg at 6.50 AM and arrive in Helsinki at 7 AM; the flight lasts 2 hours and ten minutes, Ural Airlines’ press officer reports. ‘The preliminary negotiations regarding the code sharing agreement were held in May 2008, yet some additional