Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District Nikolai Tsukanov said on May 18 that the inclusion of part of Karelia in the Arctic zone will open up new opportunities for the republic and bring in additional funds for infrastructure development.

TASS reported that Acting Head of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov spoke earlier in support of including Karelia's Loukhi, Kem and Belomorsk districts in the Arctic zone.

"Of course, the issue of including part of Karelia in the Arctic zone is not so simple," TASS quoted Tsukanov as saying. "I spoke with [Prime Minister] Dmitry Medvedev about this possibility a few days ago at a legal forum. It would create new opportunities and, most important, the chance to receive funds for social, industrial and transport infrastructure."

Tsukanov added that the matter of including part of Karelia in the Arctic zone would be discussed with members of the Federation Council and with the State Duma deputies.

A presidential executive order of May 2014 includes in the Arctic zone the Murmansk Region, the Nenets, Chukotka, and Yamal-Nenets autonomous areas, and the Vorkuta urban district in the Komi Republic.