On May 20, CenterTelecom general director Ruben Amaryan visited the City of Orel with a working visit and attended a meeting of CenterTelecom management with the Governor of Orel region Egor Stroev.

CenterTelecom General Director and the Governor of Orel region agreed upon cooperation between the Administration Board of Orel region and CenterTelecom in the field of telecoms development. The key issue was the implementation of Electronic Russia Federal Target Program in Orel region. Among other things, it provides for organization of electronic clearances between the regional natural monopolies.

Development of a uniform “one teller” payment system for all kinds of payments anywhere in Orel region, spreading these information technologies within the framework of CenterTelecom as well as addressing other issues of Electronic Russia Federal Target Program for the benefit of the Russian Federation subjects in the long term.

The parties also discussed cooperation issues in the sphere of telecommunications development on Orel region and pointed out the successful implementation of the pilot project aimed at using modern technologies for the purpose of providing telephony services in the rural regions of the Central Federal District in Uritskii district of Orel region.

At the joint press-conference, Orel region governor Egor Stroev and CenterTelecom General Director Ruben Amaryan pointed out that the market conditions in Orel region exemplify the effective cooperation between executive authorities and private business in creating an effective telecommunications infrastructure.

CenterTelecom is a major telecommunications operator in Russia. The company has been successful in providing an efficient telecommunications infrastructure to 17 Russian Federation subjects in the Central Russia. It is accountable to the authorities and the citizen for solving government and social issues.

CenterTelecom is the region’s major investor and tax payer. For example, in 2003 the company invested RUR 255.2 million in the development of telecommunications infrastructure of Orel region. The company’s Orel branch paid RUR 185.4 million worth of taxes, including RUR 47.4 million of local taxes. CenterTelecom Orel branch is leading in terms of many indicators. For example, the level of networks digitization (62.1% of the city network, 20.5% of the rural network) is higher than that of majority of other branches of the Inter-regional company.

The picture: Deputy General Director - CenterTelecom Orel branch Director Ivan Mokhov, Orel region Governor Egor Stroev and CenterTelecom General Director Ruben Amaryan at the meeting.