On November 24, as part of the first official visit to the Omsk region, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany Neithart Hefer-Wissing met with the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Omsk Region Vladimir Varnavsky

At the invitation of Governor Leonid Polezhaev, the newly appointed Consul General these days is taking part in the International Economic Forum “Open Platform for Euro-Asian Cooperation”. At a personal meeting in the Legislative Assembly, the Omsk speaker and a German diplomat discussed the state and prospects of cooperation between the two countries, the investment potential of the Omsk region.

Business and cultural ties between our region and Germany have a long tradition and are a priority. The Omsk region is home to the most representative German diaspora in the Russian Federation; the German national Azov region has been formed in the region. Omsk delegations have repeatedly visited Germany, participating in economic and investment forums, trade and industrial exhibitions. German business circles, in turn, presented investment opportunities for German business to develop mutually beneficial contacts with Omsk entrepreneurs.

The conversation between the new German Consul General for the regions of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts and the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Omsk Region began with the positive results of the already established cooperation. The head of the Russian delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe also outlined to the German guest, who also has extensive experience in international organizations, his vision of the situation in the European Union, problems and ways to overcome the political and economic crisis.

Among other topics that aroused mutual interest, special attention at the reception was paid to the further deepening of bilateral cooperation. Siberia, and the Omsk region, in particular, amaze Western partners with their rich resources. Few people know about them in the West. And at the meeting, the German consul discussed with the chairman of the regional parliament possible directions for promoting the Omsk brand in Germany. This could be facilitated, firstly, by simplification of the visa regime and broad cultural exchange. And secondly, Knighthart Hefer-Wissing intends to propose to Omsk Governor Leonid Polezhaev to organize an exhibition of exhibits from the Omsk Museum of History and Local Lore in Germany, and to hold a presentation of the Omsk region at the German Embassy in Moscow. Vladimir Varnavsky supported his idea, once again emphasizing that expanding ideas about one’s political and economic partners creates real preconditions for strengthening cooperation and is its specific facets.