13.08.2013

During his visit, on August 11 in Helsinki, Mr. Donskoy held a meeting with the Finnish delegation on questions of cooperation in the Baltic Region, including cooperation within the framework of HELCOM and the joint Russian-Finnish-Estonian project – Gulf of Finland Year 2014, the construction of sewage plants in Karelia (Ladoga - Neva), Leningrad and Kaliningrad Oblasts.

In addition, during the meeting both sides discussed issues of cooperation within the framework of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS). We should mention that Russia handed over the presidency of the CBSS to Finland.

Special attention was paid to the implementation of the project called the St. Petersburg Initiative. We should recall that the St. Petersburg Initiative was launched at the Baltic Sea Forum, held in St. Petersburg, on April 5–7, 2013, and was endorsed by all participants, the heads of states from the Baltic Region. Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister said that: “It is necessary to create conditions for a more active participation of entrepreneurs in investment projects that have a regional impact, with emphasis on their environmental component.”

Nuritdin Inamov, director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Hannele Pokka, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of the Environment of Finland, Matti Vanhanen, head of the national delegation of Gulf of Finland Year 2014 and former Prime Minister of Finland, Ilkka Herlin, head of the Baltic Sea Action Group and Alexander Rumyantsev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Finland participated in the discussion on August 11.

On August 12, 2013, during his working visit to Finland, the Minister of Natural Resources of Russia, in cooperation with Ville Niinistö, Minister of the Environment of Finland, visited the Biovakka Company (city of Vehmaa), specializing in the production of biogases and recycling of food waste from agriculture.

On August 13, 2013, in Turku, Mr. Donskoy held bilateral talks with Ville Niinistö, Minister of the Environment of Finland, involving the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation in the environmental sphere.

One of the main concerns of the Finnish colleagues is the lack of progress on the issue of eliminating hazardous waste landfill near Krasny Bor (Leningrad Oblast), which is one of the most dangerous “hot spots” of HELCOM, according to the Finnish Minister.

Source: Press Service of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources

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