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Kozhemyako inaugurated as governor of Amur Region

He took the oath in the ceremony, swearing to serve for the good of the region and its residents

KHABAROVSK, October 20 (Itar-Tass) —— Oleg Kozhemyako was inaugurated on Saturday as governor of the Amur Region.

He took the oath in the ceremony, swearing to serve for the good of the region and its residents.

Russian Minister for the Far East's Development and presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District Viktor Ishayev read out Russian President Vladimir Putin's congratulation addressed to the governor in connection with his inauguration.

During the years of his fruitful work at the state post, he proved himself to be an experienced, competent, energetic executive and a man of principle. The election results have shown the respect and confidence of the region's residents, Putin noted in the congratulation. The president hopes the governor's high qualities will help him solve social and economic problems and realize the region's substantial potential.

The election results were announced in the hall of the public culture centre where the ceremony took place. In the October 14 polls, 185,055 people, or 77.28 percent of the voters who participated in the elections, cast their votes in favour of Kozhemyako, head of the region since 2008.

The governor in his speech thanked Amur residents for the confidence and support. He said the policy for the region's development would not change. The regional government will make every effort to implement the plans for "the residents' expectations to come true".

The higher the population’s confidence is, the more responsibility, he noted. It is necessary to prove every day that the people made a right choice, Ishayev said at the ceremony. The social economic development tasks must be carried out under the new conditions, he added.

Further work to develop the Far East was discussed during the recent meeting with the premier. Investors will have preferences, exemptions from the taxes on profit, property and land. Free economic zones will be formed. Support will be also provided for tariff regulation, Ishayev said.

State support amounting to at least 100 billion roubles a year is needed to implement the large-scale projects to develop the infrastructure in the regions, he said.

With finances brought to the Fund for the Development of the Far East and the Baikal Region, the total sums of investments will increase by 500-600 billion roubles, Ishayev noted.

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