A new Russian law is about to deprive significant areas in the northern part of the country their Arctic status. New rules of demarcation are being introduced for the region.
The Russian Law on Arctic Territories is expected to considerably shrink the extension of Russian Arctic land territories and lay down new rules both for the ones living and working in the area.
According to a draft version of the legislative document, the Komi Republic will be among the areas, which are to be redefined, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reports.
Also parts of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Oblasts might be affected. According to Murmansk Senator Igor Chernishenko, only the areas which have direct access to the Arctic coast will be defined as Arctic in the new legislation.
The draft legislation proposes number of rules for infrastructure development in the region that will be defined as Russian Arctic. Development will include aviation transportation infrastructure that will become state´s priority. Privatization of aviation sector that serves the Russian Arctic will be forbidden by new law.
The adoption of the new Arctic Law will subsequently be followed up with the elaboration of an Arctic Development Programme, which is to outline priorities as well as propose the necessary financial instruments.
The Russian government has earlier confirmed that the new law will be adopted in the course of 2013. The Ministry of Regional Development is leading the process.
As previously reported, the ministry in a tender announcement last year offered bidding consultancy companies five million RUB for the first drafting of the legislative document.