Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov proposes to increase considerably seaport infrastructure lease terms and to provide concessionary terms for operation of newly built ports, RIA Novosti reports. "A port needs a master ", Zubkov has noted at the government meeting today. According to him, Russian seaports fail to stand the competition with foreign ports because lease agreements are often concluded for a year or even less. "Why signing agreements for less than a year? For corruption reasons?” Zubkov notes.
According to the Prime Minister, it is necessary to fight corruption and to start signing agreements for long-term lease of port infrastructure. "Lease agreements should be signed for 15, 20, 25 years. In this case the ports will have their masters and "muddy" companies will be squeezed out", Zubkov said.