The Governor recalled that seven years ago, the financial and economic situation in the region was very difficult; therefore, he had asked the President to support his request to provide the region with budget loans at 0.1 percent interest. Owing to these measures, the region overcame its budget crisis. In seven years, the regional budget has virtually doubled. It had a deficit of almost 8 billion rubles whereas now it has a surplus of 14 billion (10th among the 85 regions of Russia). The region’s public debt has almost been cut in half and it is already possible to say that it is close to an infrastructure breakthrough.
The GRP has almost doubled since 2011 to 600 billion rubles. The region is ranked 18th in Russia in per capita industrial output. Its economy has been diversified. The metallurgical industry has grown by 9 percent, and paper and chemical production and wood processing also recorded substantial growth. In terms of investment, the region now ranks 20th in Russia.
According to Mr Kuvshinnikov, the region has increased its development budget. In 2012, it was 9 percent of the budget, and in 2019, it amounts to 22 percent. In the next three years, 45 billion rubles will be spent on developing municipal infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and schools, major repairs of social facilities, fitness and health-building centres and a new stadium. The construction of 460 facilities is already underway.
Mr Kuvshinnikov asked the President to support the programme for developing Vologda Region and back his decision to run in the election next September.
Calling his intention well-grounded and the results of his performance obvious, Vladimir Putin promised to support his nomination.