Putin sides with President on suspending construction of a motorway in Khimki forest

30.08.2010 (12:53)

Vladimir Putin has supported the Russian President’s decision to suspend the construction of a motorway across the Khimki forest near Moscow.

He points out that the Government has always taken account of ecological problems in acting on its plans.

The Russian Prime Minister pointed out by way of an example that his Cabinet had carefully studied the ecological factor in laying an oil pipeline near Lake Baikal.

As a result the Government made the decision to push the pipeline route 400 kilometres away from the lake. But the Russian Prime Minister, currently on a working visit to the Russian Far East, reiterated the need for building a new motorway between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

On Thursday Dmitry Medvedev signed an order to suspend the construction of the motorway across the Khimki forest and to carry out an additional expert examination concerning the ecological expediency of the project.

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