Territorial "Points of Growth" of Northern Region Economy Development in Russia

Establishing of Special (Free) Economical Zone (SEZ) in Magadan region has become an actual task to support surviving of the territory in the condition of being remote from central regions of Russia and limited financial resources. This is determined by slow accumulation of local funds and constant sufficient flow of capital from Northern regions to the central parts of Russia. In 1999 on the territory of SEZ the preferential economical mechanism was applied. It allowed the companies registered within the SEZ not to pay federal taxes and customs fees in order to improve their financial status and also to create the Fund of SEZ which is used to new companies establishing and regional social problems solving. By 2004 the number of SEZ participants has reached 440 including 125 gold mining companies producing 63% of gold in region, and small entrepot companies covering 64 % of regional production. Due to SEZ region managed to obtain stable dynamics of growth of gross regional product, installments to consolidated regional budget, and reduce the number of companies failing to pay wages in time. The Fund of SEZ financed construction of blasting material plant, silver processing line of Kolyma refinery plant; new mining complexes were set in operation. Due to foreign economical activity development new equipment and machinery for enlargement of output were delivered to Magadan region. Due SEZ the territorial so called “points of growth†were created. They had multiplicative direct and indirect effect on different sectors of economy. Magadan region, which is counted as a depressive region was able to reduce the decline of production, hold the inflation level, hold unemployment growth, improve social condition of population. The governmental restriction of period of SEZ existence and also problems resulting in SEZ operations are as follows: legislation instability, defective structure of management, unreadiness of some branches of economy for effective use of preferences, lack of innovative approach. This makes to review in prospects institutional and legislative basis of SEZ.