On August, 23 Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov met with the Consul of Petrozavodsk office of the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg Anna-Kaisa Heikkonen appointed to this post in the beginning of August. About this reported The Republic of Karelia State Government Bodies' Official Web Portal.

As Ms Heikkonen has told, a large delegation of Finnish businessmen led by the Finland's Minister for Foreign Trade will visit Karelia soon. It will be the first visit of this kind to our republic.The delegation will comprise representatives of about 20 Finnish companies engaged in logging and woodworking, power engineering, information and communication technologies, mechanical engineering, logistics, construction, service, environment protection.

"I think, it is a good impulse for a new phase of development of Karelian-Finnish relations. The more so, as now a new team with new ideas and tasks has come to the republic. – Ms Heikkonen said. – Meanwhile, there are not many Finnish enterprises in Karelia, these are basically large companies. The forthcoming visit will help small and medium enterprises to find new partners that respond to changes in the economic situation more flexibly."

In turn, Andrey Nelidov said that involvement of investors is one of the main tasks for the new Government of Karelia. "Operational effect of officials we shall estimate on quickness and quality of launching new business enterprises. – Head of Karelia emphasized. – Their task is to help investors. Otherwise, these people will not work for the Government. In fact, new enterprises mean taxes which may be forwarded to those who need them: doctors, teachers, people in a difficult situation."

Andrei Nelidov has also mentioned that Karelia will aspire to adopt positive experience of its neighbours. "The republic is a beautiful land which preserves spirituality lost in Moscow and St.-Petersburg. These are people and principles very dear to me. When we say that Karelia should be special, we mean that it should be more European."

Also, Karelia plans to adjust constant inexpensive flight connection with Finland, to continue cultural cooperation and take advantage of assistance of Finnish businessmen to establish model enterprises that would become samples to training local staff. As Valentin Luntsevich, Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Government and Minister of Economic Development of Karelia, declared, first of all, such model enterprises should appear in fish industry, farming, tourism, construction and operation of local roads.

In conclusion of the meeting the parties have discussed prospects of cancelling visa regime between Russia and European Union. In the opinion of the Head of Karelia, Finland and Russia, and Karelia in particular, would benefit the most from it.