The main media and political event of the pre-New Year’s week in the Tver region was the big final press conference of Governor Igor Rudeni. The head of the region looked at the outgoing 2020 and spoke on the most burning topics, while dozens of journalists scribbled hard in notebooks and snapped cameras.
The meeting turned out to be meaningful, but before moving on to its essential content, let’s say a few words about the exterior. The press conference was held in the hall of the Quantorium children’s technopark, the same technopark that the governor opened a couple of years ago. Igor Rudenya brought additional education in the region to a qualitatively new level. Spacious room, huge screens on the walls, high-tech design. By the way, Igor Rudenya was the first among the Tver governors to hold press conferences outside the government offices of power. In 2019, he met with the press at the site of the My Business Entrepreneurship Support Center. The change of locations made communication more democratic and open.
Of course, this year the pandemic has made its own adjustments: the journalists were seated in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of one and a half meters, air recirculators glittered silently with blue lights in the corners, and the microphone attachments were changed after each questioner, which, however, did not affect what was happening.
The meeting began with a video about the main events of the year, then Igor Rudenya took a welcoming speech, in which he especially noted the work of doctors, who in 2020 lay the hardest burden.
Plans in effect
The first question posed to the head of the region was about his personal view of the work done during the year, because very ambitious projects are being launched in the Tver region.
– It was a mobilization year that taught us to value professionals, managers, business executives. Everything that we planned, we did promptly and in new conditions, – Igor Rudenya emphasized. – Work on the construction of roads and social facilities did not stop. All plans for 2021 are sound: we are continuing to build schools, kindergartens, and sports facilities. Resettlement of the Morozovsky town – the money is included in the budget, within a year and a half we plan to resettle everyone in new apartments. Starting from 2021, we will begin to restore the River Station in Tver.
Then came the question of gasification of municipalities. As a reminder, at the end of the year, the Tver Region signed a strategic agreement with Gazprom to restart the program. The event is unambiguously positive and joyful, but people were worried, suddenly gas workers will start to “break the price” for connecting to the coveted pipe. The head of the region reassured, saying that the prices would be sparing. If the main pipe is less than 200 meters, the tariff will be 26 thousand rubles, and the homeowners’ expenses are the purchase of gas equipment and the preparation of the project. The regional budget will help with the repair of gas boiler houses.
Roads and transport
Another topic that worries the public is the high-speed railway line, which will be laid from St. Petersburg to Moscow through the Tver region. Igor Rudenya assured that the most close attention is now paid to the question of the trajectory of the future highway. It will be laid taking into account all safety requirements, and one of the two stops necessary according to the technical regulations will be necessarily equipped in Tver.
What will the new railway bring to the region? Just imagine, from Tver to the center of Moscow – one hour, to St. Petersburg – two hours. This means the revitalization of business life, an impetus to the development of the construction sector in the region, the opening of new industries, and an increase in tourist attraction. In a word, everything that is achieved with great diligence in our country from year to year and that will allow us to compete with metropolitan agglomerations.
To the same topic we can refer the question about “Transport of the Upper Volga region”, posed by the chief editor of the newspaper “MK in Tver” Igor Dokuchaev. The head of the region said that the transport reform has shown its effectiveness, and the time has come to transfer the developments to the municipalities. Soon the new model of passenger transportation will be introduced in Rzhev, Rzhevskiy region, Zubtsov, Kimry and Staritsa. And what is especially important, they do not plan to raise the fare.
Complex reform
The editor-in-chief of RIA Verkhnevolzhye, Yulia Ovsyannikova, asked a difficult question: how does the governor assess the progress of the waste reform. Why are there so many rumors and speculations around this topic, and any movement in this direction is met with hostility?
– The question is complex in all subjects, it largely shows the level of development of society, – said Igor Rudenya. – In working in this area, we are faced with two strong factors: the personal business interests of local merchants and the habits of people. A helicopter flyby easily detects illegal dumps in woodlands. The scheme of their appearance is very simple: in order not to take it to the landfill, entrepreneurs simply dump the garbage in the forest, and take money as if it were taken to the landfill. We created a regional operator on the basis of MUP “TSAH” in order to exclude unscrupulous contractors from the chain. I would also like to emphasize that we do not work and do not plan to work with the reception of garbage from other entities. I want everyone to hear this again. As far as our region is concerned, no one is going to build waste incineration plants or bury waste in the ground, it is simply expensive and unprofitable. Now almost everything can be recycled, which is a big plus for the environment and economy. Many people began to carry out separate waste collection, for which I would like to thank separately. Our task is to completely switch to a new scheme by 2025 and deal with landfills.
Continuing the theme of infrastructure projects, the editor-in-chief of the TverLife portal, Maria Tetina, raised the issue of building the Western Bridge. To this, the governor said that everything is moving according to plan. President Vladimir Putin supported the project, so there will be co-financing from the federal budget, while the regional budget has allocated three billion for this. The design documentation has been completed, construction is planned to begin in 2021, the estimated duration of construction is 36 months.
Personal and social
From grandiose construction projects and ambitious projects, we moved on to topics related to the governor personally. Journalists were interested in whether Igor Rudenya was vaccinated against coronavirus.
– I was vaccinated when it was still an uncertain story, everything was fine, both the first and the second. My colleague governors did the same, ”the head of the region shared. – Today, speaking about how we feel, I will answer – normal. Now more than 500 people have been vaccinated in the Tver region. In total, we asked the Ministry of Health for 50 thousand doses of the vaccine, and as the first batch is spent we will receive new ones. We are opening an entry for everyone, but the priority, of course, is the teachers, doctors and social workers.
By the way, Nikita Terentyev, a journalist from RIA Verkhnevolzhie, was among the first to be vaccinated with a successful result, about whom we wrote in one of our recent issues.
Another personal question, this time a family one, was asked by the editor-in-chief of the Tverskiye Vedomosti newspaper, Galina Andrienko. From the ubiquitous Oka Tver press did not escape that in the summer the governor had a second daughter. Does he manage to see her, how is communication with the family proceeding and what are the plans for the head of the region for the New Year holidays? At this question, a kind, fatherly smile appeared on the governor’s face. Apparently, government affairs were unable to oust the main values of life from the heart.
– Of course, I would like to see my family more often, but the work schedule is very tight, – Igor Rudenya shared. – Of course, I am very happy about the birth of my daughter, but now my wife is more concerned with her. While the children are small, these are mothers’ children, then they will grow up – fathers will become. I communicate with my family via video link, call up as soon as possible. I would like to celebrate the New Year with my family, but it is not known how things will develop at work. I really hope that I will be able to spend a couple of days with loved ones on winter holidays.
The governor did not forget about other people’s children. Although it is us, there are no other people’s children, we are all responsible for the future. With regard to the press conference, this paradigm was embodied in the fulfillment of children’s wishes, notes with which were hidden in New Year’s balls on a tree that stood next to one of the screens. The presenter Irina Shvager suggested that the governor choose one of three balls to fulfill someone’s childhood dream. The governor decided to open all three, and the world learned that two-thirds of childhood dreams consist of a smartphone and a portable speaker, and one-third of the desire to visit a real military unit with an excursion.
– The tasks are clear, – Igor Rudenya grinned again in a fatherly way and made notes in his notebook.
In a short line
In total, the conference lasted over two hours. Journalists stretched out their hands in the hope that the governor would choose their question, and after listening to the answer, they quickly and imperceptibly scribbled messages into
family editions “Urgently to the room!”. There were quite a few video questions from the district press – the recordings were shown on screens. The governor was thanked for the renovation of the recreation center and the construction of the road, inquired about the launch of local production facilities, the support of active youth and much more.
– Igor Rudenya announced the arrival of Patriarch Kirill to Tver for the consecration of the Transfiguration Cathedral. The visit of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church is expected in July.
– Negotiations are under way to return the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God to Toropets, to its historical homeland.
– The Governor spoke critically about the work near the City Garden in Tver. The workers laid the tiles directly in the snow, and it shouldn’t be that way.
– The building of the old Suvorov school after the students moved, according to the head of the region, would be well suited for creating a new social and cultural space.
– The Rzhevsky water intake will be modernized, the money has been budgeted, the project documentation is ready.
– December 31 is declared a day off in state institutions, the private sector is recommended to follow this example.
“The more we work, the better our life will be. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas, ”Igor Rudenya congratulated the audience and all residents of the region in the final of the meeting. And then he went to work, because the year is not over yet.