Events
External Economic Activity / Cooperation between Krasnodar Region and foreign states
Cooperation between Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic
(reference information)
1 Stages in establishing relations
The Administration of Krasnodar Region pays particular attention to development of international and external economic contacts between the region and countries in the European Community. The Hellenic Republic is an important external economic partner of Krasnodar Region, which is the result of active development of relations in various fields, and successful experience of bilateral relations.
Cooperation with Hellenic partners is carried out with the assistance of the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Moscow, and also the General Consulate of the Hellenic Republic in Novorossiisk, which has been operating successfully since 1997.
Official relations between Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic began to develop after the signing on 1 July 1993 of an Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Hellenic Republic on development of regional cooperation between Krasnodar Region in the Russian Federation and the Hellenic Republic, and also the signing within the framework of the above mentioned agreement on 17 May 1995 of a protocol on results of a Russian-Hellenic meeting on questions of cooperation between Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic.
Over recent years Russian-Hellenic inter-state relations have become more productive, and are characterised by a positive dynamic, and are based on development of contract legal basis.
2 Visits by delegations from Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic
Since 1992 to the current day Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic have been actively visited by delegations at various levels. During meetings and negotiations the parties have discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including trade economic and investment spheres.
On 20 June 2000 in Athens negotiations were held on regional cooperation between the Hellenic Republic and Krasnodar Region.
On 4 and 5 February 2003 Krasnodar Region was visited by the Director of the Press Office at the Embassy of Greece in Russia, Mr Spiridon Hatzaras, in order to learn about the social economic position of Krasnodar Region.
Within the framework of the Sochi 2008 International Investment Forum a meeting was held between the Head of the Administration (Governor) of Krasnodar Region Alexander Tkachev and the Alternate Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Greece, Nikolaos Tachiaos, during which the parties discussed the condition and prospects for cooperation and set out the main ways of development of relations in the fields of:
- preparation for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi,
- cooperation in the sphere of resorts and tourism,
- cooperation within the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation zone.
On 18 November within the framework of the XV YugAgro International Agribusiness exhibition in the KrasnodarExpo exhibition centre a working meeting was held between experts from Ministries and Departments of agricultural field of the participant countries in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. The meeting took place under the chairmanship of Russia and with the participation of representatives of Rumania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine. Representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russian and the Administration of Krasnodar Region also took part in the meeting. Members of the delegation from the Republic of Greece led by the Governor of the Imatia region Konstantin Krapanaetidis were special guests at the meeting.
The main themes for discussion at the meeting were state support in the agricultural sphere, prospects for cooperation in the format of joint projects financed from the BSEC Development Fund, prospects for optimisation of cooperation between members of the BSEC in the field of viticulture and winemaking, opportunities for joint cooperation in the sphere of fish farming and renewal of water resources of the Black Sea.
At the conclusion of the meeting those present took part in the summary protocol of the meeting, stating the further course for strengthening cooperation between participant countries of the BSEC in the fields of agriculture, agribusiness, and fish farming.
From 26 February to 1 March 2009 with the assistance of the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Moscow Krasnodar Region was visited by a delegation of Hellenic businessmen led by the Vice Prefect of Thessaloniki Ms Athina Athanasiadou-Aidona. The aim of the trip was to learn about Krasnodar Region, to take part in the Southern Architectural Construction Forum, to establish new business contacts with businesses in Krasnodar Region in the fields of construction materials, electrical equipment, food products, and textiles.
Within the framework of the visit on 26 February in the Platan Yuzhnii Hotel a conference on Investment prospects of Krasnodar Region was held, in which representatives of the Administration of the region, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Region, the Krasnodar branch of the Association of European Business in Russia, and also managers from the Hellenic diaspora living in the Region, took part. At the end of the conference meetings were held between the Hellenic businessmen and representatives of business circles in the Region.
On 27 February the delegation travelled to Sochi on an instructional trip. In the words of one of the organisers of the visit, the Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in the Russian Federation Mr Ioannis Markos, the trip was of great importance for deepening contacts between Greece and Krasnodar Region, in as much as it provides a basis for further cooperation and development of relations.
3 Conclusion of agreements between Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic
The basis for relations between Krasnodar Region and Greece is the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Hellenic Republic on regional cooperation between Krasnodar Region in the Russian Federation and the Hellenic Republic of 1 July 1993.
On 17 May 1995 a protocol was signed on results of a Russian-Hellenic meeting on questions of cooperation between Krasnodar Region and the Hellenic Republic.
In February 1999 during a visit by the Governor of Krasnodar Region Nikolay I. Kondratenko a Protocol was signed on regional cooperation between Krasnodar Region and Greece.
4 External trade turnover
According to Customs statistics for 2007 foreign trade turnover between Krasnodar Region and Greece totalled $77.2 million. The balance of trade was positive ($34.7 million).
Exports were carried out to a value of $55.9 million, and the main exports were:
- oil and petroleum products ($41.3 million);
- wheat and olives ($7.2 million);
- waste and scrap ferrous metals ($3.9 million);
- mineral and chemical fertilizers ($1.3 million);
- oilseed residue and other solid waste ($1.2 million).
Imports were carried out to a value of $21.3 million and the main imports were:
- rolled iron ($8.1 million);
- fruits and nuts ($2.7 million);
- animal feed ($1.7 million);
- aircraft ($1.2 million);
- food products ($2.8 million).
According to data from the Southern Customs Department trade turnover between Krasnodar Region and Greece from results for 2008 totalled $46.9 million. The balance of trade was positive ($18.2 million).
Exports were carried out to a value of $32.5 million, and the main exports were:
- oil and petroleum products ($16.5 million);
- wheat and olives ($9.3 million);
- waste and scrap ferrous metals ($1.4 million);
- mineral and chemical fertilizers ($1.7 million);
- oil cake and other solid waste ($3.5 million);
- timber products ($200 000).
Imports were carried out to a value of $14.3 million and the main imports were:
- rolled iron ($4.1 million);
- fresh fruit ($1.6 million);
- cement ($400 000);
- wine ($190 000).
(in $million)
|
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Turnover | 22.9 | 49.1 | 74.9 | 77.2 | 49.6 |
| Export | 9.1 | 34.5 | 58.4 | 55.9 | 32.5 |
| Import | 13.8 | 14.6 | 16.5 | 21.3 | 14.3 |
| Balance | -4.7 | 19.9 | 41.9 | 34.7 | 18.2 |
5 Cooperation within spheres
In the field of air transport Airlines of Kuban carries out charter flights on the Krasnodar-Thessaloniki-Athens-Krasnodar route (flights take place once a week, with twice weekly flights from July to October).
In the sphere of education cooperation is carried out in the following fields: staff training in the fields of languages, research in the field of clinical medicine, humanitarian (juridical, historical) and natural sciences.
Students with citizenship of the Republic of Greece study in universities in the Region: the Kuban State Medical University, the Kuban State University, the Kuban State University of Sport Science, Sports and Tourism. At the current time 43 people are studying.
In the scientific sphere fertile Russian-Hellenic cooperation is being carried out within the framework of work by the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. The Director of the Scientific and Research Centre for Forecasting and Prevention of Geoecological and Techogenic Catastrophes of the Kuban State University, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Babeshko is the representative of Russia in the working group of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organisation for science and technology, and works in the Association of Seismic Protection of member countries of the BSEC.
6 Hellenic businesses in Krasnodar Region
Within Krasnodar Region there are seven businesses registered with foreign investment from Greece.
- Universal Maritime Service, personnel selection
- Letrina-novo, freight transport
- Filistor, production of aluminium building constructions (windows and doors)
- Transitaneks, freight transport
- Ineks, construction
- Diapazon, timber processing
- Krimskaya Stomatologicheskaya Poliklinika, medical services.
7 Humanitarian cooperation
During the period from 8 to 13 July 2008 in Thessaloniki, Greece, the 26th meeting of Youth in Local Government was held with a delegation from Sochi taking part. During the event interesting international educational programmes and projects were examined, as well as options for cooperation. In addition to a full educational programme, participants at the meeting were given the opportunity to learn about the picturesque corners of the city and to visit its most famous sights. Thanks to the openness of communication, the variety of participant countries, the effectiveness of communication and political cultural interaction, integration of the Russian educational system into the world system is in progress.
In December 2008 within the framework of the Festival of Modern European Film in Krasnodar Region the Days of Hellenic Film event was held. Works by film makers who are winners of world acclaim and works by young film directors were included in the programme of the Festival. Showings were carried out in the small hall of the Kvartal cinema.
In 2008 the resort town of Gelendzhik was twinned with the Hellenic town of Kallithea.
