Eugeny Fedorov, chairman of committee of State Duma on industrial policy and entrepreneurship:

— Functioning of the new NPP will converse Kaliningrad region from region of middle and small business which it is now, into region of large-scale industry. I am sure that as a result the region will take leading positions in economic development.

On 25 February, 2010, in Neman district of Kaliningrad region, solemn ceremony of beginning of construction of Baltic nuclear power plant was held. Vice-premier of the Government of the RF Sergey Ivanov, head of State corporation «Rosatom» Sergey Kirienko and Governor of the region Georgy Boos laid commemorative stone with capsule at the place of the construction.

We should note that according to the poll performed by research group CIRKON in Kaliningrad region from 21 January till 10 February, 45% of population of the region do not object to construction of Baltic NPP. Answering the question which advantages they see in that a nuclear power plant will be built in their region, the region population most of all calls the following ones: appearing of new jobs (50%, in Neman district — 80%), energy independence of he region (43%, in the capital — 52%), reduction in price for electricity (37%, in Neman district 53%). As the poll showed, some citizens of Kaliningrad expressed potential readiness to change their attitude to construction of NPP to the better one subject to satisfaction of some conditions.

Eugeny Fedorov, chairman of committee of State Duma on industrial policy and entrepreneurship:

— I think that Russia should actively develop nuclear power branch, and very positively appreciate the fact of beginning of construction of Baltic NPP in Kaliningrad region.

Functioning of the new NPP will converse Kaliningrad region from region of middle and small business which it is now, into region of large-scale industry. I am sure that as a result the region will take leading positions in economic development.

From the social point of view, construction of the NPP will allow to create high geared industry in the region, that in its turn will promote skill improvement of workers – residents of Kaliningrad region. The residents of the region will face the large choice of professions, earnings will grow, that will lead to general improvement of living standard.

As for relations with Lithuania and Belarus, nearest neighbors of Kaliningrad region, I think that construction of the NPP will allow to develop economic relations with them. We will obtain the opportunity to sell our electric power to both of the countries. Recently management of Lithuania declared that they say, they do not understand to whom Russia is going to sell its electric power from Baltic NPP, since Baltic countries jointly with Poland are going to build the new Visagin power plant in Lithuania instead of the closed Ignalina NPP. To my opinion, such a statement is just a pure policy, and has no relation to economy. EU will not permit construction of such high technology industrial object as NPP in Baltic countries, at least because it is profitable for it to consider Baltic countries first of all as source of cheap work force for European Union countries. That is why I am sure that electric power from Baltic NPP will be demanded not only in Kaliningrad region, but also in the neighboring countries.