OREANDA-NEWS. July 11, 2011. Good day, Mr. Medvedev. Relocation of Gazprom export’s headquarters to Saint Petersburg is a major piece of news. How did you take it? Are you ready for the relocation?

 I am glad to publicly announce that the decision has been taken to relocate Gazprom export’s headquarters to Saint Petersburg. I suppose this will happen in the beginning of the next year when the new office building is ready to accommodate the company’s staff. This event will coincide with a number of anniversaries including 300 years after Saint Petersburg became the capital city of the Russian Empire and Peter the Great issued an edict on resettlement of merchants from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. You see, there is also a historical factor in it. In fact, the underlying idea behind this relocation is that the historical window to Europe will also be the gas window. I think all the organizational challenges will be solved. Unlike the historical relocation, which was funded from the state treasury, Gazprom will arrange everything at its own expense.
 I would like you to clear out the staffing issue in Gazprom export. How will you deal with it? Gazprom export’s employees live in Moscow and you are going to move to Saint Petersburg. Will you employ local citizens in Saint Petersburg or will the whole team go there?

 I think we will take a comprehensive approach to this issue as people always do in such cases. Of course, older employees will find it more difficult to leave their homes and move to a new place. They will possibly have to work under a shift schedule, all the more so the transportation means between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, both air and rail, are very comfortable nowadays. I think sometimes it takes you less time to get from Moscow to Saint Petersburg or vice versa than from the Sheremetyevo Airport to the Moscow downtown. People nowadays lead a modern lifestyle and travel easily. As for the youth, I think this is a good chance for them to try their abilities in a new place. We will create new workplaces for Saint Petersburg citizens as well.
 What about the communications? Gazprom, the parent company, remains in Moscow and Gazprom export moves to Saint Petersburg. Will you have any problems with those?

 Cutting-edge information technologies are one of the options here and I think we will use all the possibilities available so far. Those who will be unable to move to Saint Petersburg for some reasons will be able to resume their work at the Gazprom headquarters in Moscow.