Kovtun disproves Arctic Minister position

It is Flashnord that Friday reports about the possibility of Kovtun moving to Moscow.

Marina Kovtun has been Governor of Murmansk was appointed Governor of Murmansk in april 2012. Last September, she was re-elected.

Speaking to Flashnord, Kovtun denies any plans of becoming Minister of the Arctic. The newssite, however, refer to several sources informing that the issue was on the agenda when Marina Kovtun met with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi two weeks ago.

“It is all fiction,” Marina Kovtun says to SeverPost when asked about the rumours.

According to the transcript from the meeting, posted on the portal of the President, the two discussed several issues related to the Arctic, inluding the establishment of a Arctic University in Murmansk and plans for development of petroleum resources on the continental shelf and hub for serving offshore industry.

The transcript does not disclose any information about Marina Kovtun possibly becoming Russia’s Arctic Minister next year.

In March this year, Marina Kovtun was appointed member of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s Arctic Commission, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. Also Arkhangelsk Governor Igor Orlov and former Governor of the Komi Republic Vyacheslav Gayzer were members.

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The Commission also has two other members from Murmansk; Director of Murmansk Marine Biological Institute Gennady Matishov and General Director of Atomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha.