The idea of the Russian capital expansion was voiced by the head of state at last year’s St Petersburg Economic Forum. According to Medvedev, this measure will make life easier for “a lot of people” and help create an international financial center in Moscow.

The President thinks that the city center partially cleared of government offices could be redeveloped into “a location for MIFC offices”.

Following the President’s initiative, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov suggested expanding the city some 160 thousand hectares into adjoining Southwest territories up to the Kaluga region border, populated by 300 thousand people.

In December 2011 the new borders of the two regions were ratified by the Moscow and regional parliaments and passed by the Federation Council. The new borders are effective 1 July.

At the same time, the new Moscow limits raise a number of questions. Last week, Moscow Region Governor Boris Gromov stated that he will raise the matter of dwindling revenues in the Moscow Region at the 9 April meeting with the President.

“Our permanent focus is on the dip in revenues, figures are updated. I have addressed the president and the government on this. The amount is RUB 28 billion”, said Gromov.

It is reported in the media that the Moscow expansion has been criticized by the Environmental Workgroup of the Public Chamber. Commersant reports that the workgroup has proposed to suspend the project until all the mandatory evaluations have been performed and the concept has undergone public hearings.

The Greater Moscow features 146 municipalities instead of the current 125, including Vnukovskoe, Voronovskoe, Voskresenskoe, Desenovskoe, Kievskij, Klenovskoe, Kokoshkino, Krasnopahorskoe, Marushkinskoe, Mikhailovo-Yarcevskoe, Moskovskij, Mosrentgen, Novofedorovskoe, Pervomajskoe, Rogovskoe, Ryazanovskoe, Wapovskoe, Filimonovskoe and Sosenskoe. The new Moscow map also includes Troitsk and Sherbinka.

The Moscow Duma passed a law in Summer 2011 that stipulates the right of residents to influence the development of new Moscow territories, with municipalities’ powers not affected.

The Mayor’s press office states that over 20 new laws will be adopted by 1 July 2012 for the city expansion. The first batch of the Greater Moscow territory development and governance drafts has already been passed by the Moscow Duma in the first reading.

It is expected that the capital will introduce three types of municipalities: districts (existing), boroughs (new), and towns (new)”, quotes the source.

Moscow Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said at the joint session of Moscow City Duma committees in March that new territories will have two new districts in addition to the ten existing ones.

Project Group №5, Sergei Sobyanin