The G8 summit in Skolkovo to cost 136 B RUR

Moscow has prepared an action plan for the development of road and transport infrastructure of the innovation center Skolkovo, the realization of which by 2014 will require 136 B RUR. This investment volume is necessary for the organization of G8 summit in the Skolkovo territory.

The Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Monday during the meeting with the president on expanding Moscow said that in three years the city intends to create an efficient transportation infrastructure for Skolkovo. Innograd is to obtain a convenient way to Moscow, including the creation of a new highway - the North-Western chord, which will pass through the western and northern districts of Moscow.

The Government of Moscow, according to a source of Izvestia, is ready to invest up to 50 B RUR from its own budget to Skolkovo infrastructure, which is to get the Moscow residence permit from July 1 within the existing plans to expand the capital towards the region. The plan proposed by Moscow includes financing the construction of roads, development of the transport component and engineering facilities, including the territory of the innovation city.

Leonid Bratkin, the spokesman of Andrei Sharonov – the Moscow Deputy Mayor for Economic Policy, could not comment on the intention of Moscow to allocate money for financing the infrastructure of IC Skolkovo.

At present to develop the Skolkovo infrastructure funding in the amount of about 38 B RUR is allocated. According to sources, additional 30 B RUR can be allocated in the 2012-2014 from the federal budget and the reason for this is the G8 summit. The Russian Government decided to establish an interagency working group to clarify the sources and amounts of funding, says the source. The remaining requirements can be financed from the budgets of Moscow, Moscow Region, the Development Fund for the Centre of creation and commercialization of new technologies (the Skolkovo Fund) and allocated to the Ministry of Transport.

Improvement of infrastructure around Skolkovo is necessary only if the G8 summit will be held in Skolkovo, - said the Skolkovo Fund Director of External Communications Alexander Chernov. - In the meantime, Skolkovo develops within the approved budget for this year and next year. The additional funding of Skolkovo as the innograd is not needed.

After the summit, IC Skolkovo may become a new site for the large international events that would help to improve the image of the capital. The objects created by Skolkovo originally are designed for accepting large international conferences, confirms Chernov. Therefore, the appearance of such a center, in his opinion, would be a plus to the capital. The new areas will remove the load from Moscow for the big events.