Moscú para Europa

On March 24 the government approved the project of the conversion of Moscow into the world financial center. This idea was spoken out by Dmitry Medvedev already half a year ago. And now the mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov has developed the plan which corresponds to the stated problem and, furthermore, absolutely enters in the framework of the already passing or approved urban programs. Therefore the additional financing from the side of federal authorities is not expected.

The program will be completed in 2015 and it consists of three parts and forty events.

For example, it is planned to liquidate – or at least to decrease – the traffic jams, to remove the shortage of the Metro length, to order the everyday services, such, as urban water supply and canalization.

And one additional innovation – all officials, who work with the foreigners one way or another, will be obliged to learn English.

As the first priority tasks the government considers the organization of additional parking places, the building of additional offices and hotel accommodations, the reconstruction of the airport Vnukovo. Furthermore in order to interest foreign investors, will be necessary to accept additional federal laws and to simplify the system of taxation, after making it more transparent. By the expert’s opinion, published in the newspaper “Kommersant”, Moscow will not become financial center without the stable ruble and the clear system of the credit policy of state.

According to the plan of the government, in six years the hotel areas of Moscow will increase two times. Hotels are planned to be placed both in the independent buildings and in the additions to the commercial or sport complexes, in the buildings, projected within the framework of program “Gold Ring”. Furthermore, Moscow authorities plan to bring into order the existing hotels.

Yuri Luzhkov already signed the order about the creation of the “Hotel Company”, which will combine all Moscow hotels into the united system. 50 percent of shares of the new company will belong to the city, and another half – to investors. However, taking into account the fact that seven of the hotels are planned to be built prior to the end of the year, and crisis continues to increase in the world, the interest of investors in the hotel business causes doubt. Especially as the realization of the plans of Moscow authorities in the field of building is always late. For example, in 2008 in Moscow were opened 15 new hotels instead of 28 planned. The analysts forecast moreover – and this already occurs – the decrease of tourists to Moscow. As all over the world. The same as with the foreign workers, quotas for attraction of whom were reduced already in winter.

Although, on the whole, the idea of the creation of the united controlling company pleases to analysts. In the interview for Lente.ru the director of the department of consulting, analytics and research of the company Blackwood Olga Shirokova noted that “the creation of this controlling company is necessary, first of all, for increasing the effectiveness in the work of the hotels, which belong to city. They at the moment bring considerably smaller income in comparison with the private hotels”.

Simultaneously with the hotels will begin the building of rental housing units for the long-term arrangement of the foreign colleagues of Russian companies. Besides strictly apartments, in them will be provided all necessary everyday services.

Today there is no such habitable complexes in Moscow. And foreign specialists have to live in the rented apartments or in the hotels.