The 7th International Investment “Sochi-2008” will open on Thursday, Itar-Tass reported. Russian Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina, the Minister of Regional Development Dmitry Kozak and the Governor of the Krasnodar territory Alexander Tkachev - all the three were the co-chairmen of the forum's organizing committee this year – will give a reception in honor of the forum's guests and participants. Viktor Kolodyazhnyi, the president of the state corporation responsible for the construction of Olympic facilities (Olympstroj) will have a business meeting with German commercial companies on Thursday. Forty-four regions and territories of the Russia will present at least five investment projects. Yevgeniya Muravyova, the first vice-governor, of the Krasnodar territory, said that the region would occupy its own separate pavilion at the Sochi-2008. Its total area will be almost 2,000 cubic meters. The entire exposition of the Kuban region will feature more than 1,500 investment proposals worth 27 billion euros which is three times more than last year. The total area of the exhibition space along with business communication zones exceeds 50,000 cubic meters. The exposition itself will be housed in 13 pavilions. Investment proposals will be offered by 218 foreign and domestic enterprises working in industry, energy, transport, information technologies, telecommunications, agriculture, construction, science and education, public health, the recreation sector, housing and utilities services as well as natural resources and ecology. About 6,000 foreign and Russian participants and more than 1,000 media people will participate in the forum. Taking part in the forum will be the prime ministers of France, Belgium and Bulgaria, the ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions of 18 countries. For the first time ever students of the city institutions of high learning will help accrediting journalists at the forum. They say it's a good rehearsal for the 2014 winter Olympic Games. The participants in the 7th International Investment Forum will have a chance to see several Olympic projects ready for investment. The forum will end on September 21, 2008.
