President Türk concludes his official visit to Russia in Samara

Samara, 19.11.2010  |  press release

On the last day of his official visit to the Russian Federation, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, visited the town of Samara, where he met the Governor of the Samara Region, Mr Vladimir Artjakov. After the talks, President Türk, Governor Artjakov and the Mayor of Samara, Dimitrij Azarov, went to Samara Suburban Park, where they officially opened the »Alley of Inter-regional Cooperation« and planted several trees.

After the meeting with the Samara Region Governor, President Türk observed that an important aspect of cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation is related precisely to Samara, which he described as the Russian capital of the automotive industry. He also stressed the importance of the Declaration on Partnership for Modernisation that he and Russian President Dr Dmitrij Medvedjev signed on Wednesday and which was the basis on which 12 other agreements on cooperation were concluded between the two countries during President Türk’s official visit to Russia. Slovenia’s President described the long established cooperation in the field of the automotive industry as a close and fruitful one. In addition, he mentioned the subjects of future cooperation and particularly stressed the importance of the best possible communication between people and of tourism within this context.

Governor Artjakov called attention to the fact that the Republic of Slovenia was the only country to have opened an Honorary Consulate in Samara. In addition, he recalled the long history of economic cooperation between Slovenia and the Samara Region, by which he meant cooperation by different Slovenian companies with the AvtoVAZ car factory. He highlighted that this cooperation has grown threefold during this year, which, in his words, was a good sign and a very solid foundation for further future cooperation. He also mentioned today's visit by the Slovenian economic delegation to the town of Toljati, led by the Slovenian Minister of the Economy, Darja Radiĉ, who discussed the participation of Slovenian companies in the establishment of a free-trade zone and a technology park in the aforementioned town.

Afterwards, President Türk and Governor Artjakov attended the Russian-Slovenian business conference. In his address to the participants, President Türk pointed out that it was Slovenia’s wish actively to participate in the Russia – European Union Partnership in relation to modernisation and that, consequently, it was among the first countries to have given concrete expression to this principle. He stressed that Slovenia and the Samara Region should further develop existing cooperation in the fields of the automotive industry, telecommunications and tourism and should, in addition to this, also find the energy for cooperation in areas such as high technologies, pharmaceuticals and construction engineering.

According to the president, geographical distances should not be a hindrance to such cooperation, which he illustrated with the case of spa tourism, in which Russian tourists to Slovenia occupy second place in terms of the number of visitors visiting Slovenian spa resorts. President Türk also touched on large-scale projects and highlighted the South Stream gas pipeline project, which will open up new opportunities for further cooperation development. In closing his address, President Türk called for full liberalisation of the EU visa regime in relation to Russia, since an enlarged area of free communication would facilitate opening up new development possibilities.

On this occasion, Slovenia and Russia concluded the following bilateral agreements:

• Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Samara Region, Russian Federation (signed on behalf of Slovenia by Ada Filip Slivnik, Slovenian Ambassador to Russia),
• Memorandum of Cooperation between the Iskratel company and the OAO Volga Telekom company, and
• Memorandum of Cooperation between the Iskratel company and the OAO Samara – Transtelekom company (signed on behalf of Slovenia by Andrej Polenec, Director General of the Iskratel company).

At the close of his visit, President Türk was given a tour of the Samara Oncology Centre, where he viewed the operation of the centre.