"40 thousand roubles plus bonuses is really great especially at the time of crisis"- says Nikolai our fellow-traveler from Armavir.  It is great because I got 12 thousand at my previous job. Tunnellers get 10 thousand more because their job is much harder. By the way, there are many of them from Kabardino-Balkaria here.

The train was taking us to the Kuban Investment Forum, where Kabardino-Balkaria has presented its investment projects fort he fourth time. And Nikolai, a technician foreman on tunnels illumination system installation was going back to Sochi after his weekend at home with his family. Nikolai is working on the Olympic construction site. About 11 thousand people work in Sochi now, and the figure may rise to 75 thousand. It means that the problem of unemployment for the regions bordering on Krasnodar Region can be solved to some extent. One way or another Nikolai has found "investors" for his family. How to find investors for the development of the Russian economy? What is the investment strategy supposed to be like in the crisis management conditions? Members of the Russian Government, Federal Ministers, heads of the Federal Subjects, deputies of the Russian Parliament, representatives of the President's Administration, businessmen, leading world experts discussed these questions at the Forum.  

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chaired the VIII International Investment Forum "Sochi-2009". He delivered a speech at the plenary session in which he reminded that the previous year forum was held on the eve of the storm which turned to "dramatic world events". According to his words "economic horizon is getting clearer", growth of the gross domestic product has resumed. But it would be wrong to think that we've managed the situation. He suggested being on alert in order not to come off worst.  The Prime Minister emphasized that the Russian economy is still underinvested. State investments must play a significant role in solving this question. These investments will be mostly directed to the infrastructure. Russia is open for overseas investments as well. Administrative barriers have been removed, taxes have been cut down. A new energy strategy to 2030 is being developed. Vladimir Putin stressed that technologies must be renewed and a common energy space must be striven for even at crisis period.   

We may say with every reason that Kabardino-Balkaria is a small model of Russia. Not only because it is one of the Russian subjects, but the problems here are the same and they are solved according to the recommendations of the head of the Russian government.

Vladimir Putin viewed the stand of Kabardino-Balkaria, examined model sets of micro district in Nalchik in Idarova Street for 2500 flats, hydropower plant "Blue Lake" on the Cherek river, resort areas "Azau", "Cheget", "Elbrus", "Yusengi" and "Chiperazau" in Prielbrusie. These areas are connected by a common development plan and supposed to become a unique all season resort.     

Arsen Kanokov had a small talk with Vladimir Putin. The President of Kabardino- Balkaria invited the Prime Minister to visit Prielbrusie to see the opening of the ski season. 

Infrastructure is being actively developed in Kabardino-Balkaria. Roads are built and renewed. Innovations in the sphere of energy are paid much attention to. Only in Tyrnauz 9 new energy saving up to date boiler houses have been put into operation at the cost of the republican budget. Favorable climate for investors, overseas inclusive, is not only declared but created. So one can paraphrase the main topic of the Forum "Russia. Investment Strategy" to "KBR. Investment Strategy".

But the President of KBR Arsen Kanokov is sure that Kabardino-Balkaria has its own particular investment formulas. The main thing is not to idle away our time and wait for the investors to come and knock at the door. "They got into a line in Krasnodar Region. But we don't have to expect the same in Kabardino-Balkaria in the nearest future. We are short of time so we will invite investors, negotiate. At the same time we must carry out a number of projects through the system of private-state partnership. We will get involved the Agency on Investment and Development of KBR, grant loans. First the state helps the business to stand on its own feet and then steps out. This scheme has started working already. We have opened a textile mill for 500 jobs; a new furniture factory and a livestock business are planned to be launched soon. From 10 to 30 projects will be realized every year. It is our unique formula. By the way, the head of Sberbank recommended that other subjects pay attention to this way of management".

Arsen Kanokov negotiated with Russian and overseas companies operating in the sphere of tourism and construction. A company from South Tyrol got interested in projects in Prielbrusie. By the way, technologies of growing precocious apples, the so called intensive foothills gardening in Baksan district of Kabardino-Balkaria came from this province. According to Arsen Kanokov the number of projects in industry and agrarian industrial complex must increase along with tourism. "I think getting an experience of participation in Forums in Sochi, St. Petersburg, and abroad, having absorbed advanced technologies we shall manage to transform quantity of the projects into their quality. What is important is that we shall begin their realization. In agrarian industrial complex the price of such projects is comparatively moderate but they create more jobs".

The President emphasized that every district of Kabardino-Balkaria must present its projects at the next year Forum in Sochi. "Heads of local administrations will present their projects first at the republican show. The best ones will be selected there to take them to Sochi. All in all there were fewer projects this year in Sochi due to the crisis but the quality of presentation has improved. They are more real for realization. The thing is not how the project is presented but to what extent it can be put into practice. This is what we learn to do here. I think it is obvious that our republic learns quickly and uses the knowledge it gets efficiently. For example, agricultural sector in Baksan has been shunt onto the most up to date technologies within one or two years. The most delicious tomatoes and precocious apples are cultivated here. The most important thing is that thousands of jobs are created for the people of the republic so that they themselves become investors for their families".