ST. PETERSBURG, July 23 (RIA Novosti) - One of the first special economic zones in Russia will be formed in the Leningrad region (the Northwest Federal District). The zone will be formed in Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland near the Estonian border (100 kilometers to the west of St. Petersburg), the Leningrad regional administration quoted governor Valery Serdyukov as saying Saturday.
Negotiations and consultations on the development of special economic zones, particularly, in Ust-Luga were conducted beforehand, Serdyukov said following the signing of the law on special economic zones.
Today Ust-Luga has a coal transshipment center. A port with a 35 million ton cargo handling capacity is being built in the town.
A railway ferry service linking Ust-Luga, the Kaliningrad region and German port will open in the town soon. It will ensure transit and communications with the Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea bypassing the Baltic states.
