ST. PETERSBURG, January 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the task of increasing the economic capabilities of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region and expanding the foreign trade infrastructure.
"We need to continue to build up the economic opportunities of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. What is important is to do this comprehensively, based on long-term plans for the development of the entire agglomeration, given that the city and the region are closely connected," Putin said at a meeting on the development of the city and the Leningrad region.
Among the key tasks, he named "strengthening priority industries, such as shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, using the potential of the service sector and creative industries, expanding the foreign trade infrastructure, including through the development of seaports and terminals."
According to the President, this is the key to creating modern, well-paid jobs, increasing the production of high-tech products and services, creating a base for opening new companies, and therefore increasing the sustainability and diversification of the economy of the region as a whole.
"Of course, while solving economic problems and supporting business activity, we simultaneously need to increase efforts to build housing and social infrastructure, and create an environment that will allow us to reveal the region’s rich tourism and recreational opportunities at a new level," Putin added.