On Sunday October 25, Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen and his delegation visited the Pulkovo Sky business center. Riitta Ekengren, EKE Group President, presented the business center and demonstrated its technical advantages. Most of the center’s engineering systems were installed by Finnish companies.
Mr. Vanhanen was especially interested in the progress of the construction work and commented on the speed of completion of such a large project, taking into consideration that Pulkovo Sky is St. Petersburg’s biggest business center. The Prime Minister also asked about the center’s tenants. Andrei Hitrov, Pulkovo Sky’s Managing Director, said that the business center was set to be occupied by major Finnish, Russian and international companies whose brand names are known all over the world. In turn, Mr. Vanhanen commented that Pulkovo Sky was a good practical example of cooperation between Finnish and Russian business.
The meeting was held as part of the Prime Minister's visit to St. Petersburg during which Matti Vanhanen and Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, discussed the effects of the economic and financial crisis, trade and economic cooperation between Finland and Russia, customs and border issues and other bilateral issues. The two Prime Ministers also participated in the inauguration of Finland House in St. Petersburg, a center for Finnish culture, science and business life. The renovated facilities are in the center of St. Petersburg and will house several other Finnish organizations such as the Finnish Institute in St. Petersburg.
Prime Minister Vanhanen was accompanied on his visit to St. Petersburg by the chair of the Finnish-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo V?yrynen, Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila and Minister of Transport Anu Vehvil?inen.
