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The Primorsky Krai Duma will concentrate on economic development over the next year, Duma Chairman Sergei Dudnik announced Feb 12.

The Duma will vote on 41 new laws “necessary for the development of a market economy in the krai,” Dudnik said at a press conference.

These include property, tax laws, and budgeting laws aimed at attracting investment to the krai and opening Pacific Rim markets to companies here, he said.

Dudnik’s announcement comes after two Duma sessions that were spent mostly on organizational tasks and preparation for the bulk of session work that will begin Feb. 24.

The Duma will begin an intensive study of the regional economy, and determine which companies here could find buyers for their goods in international markets.

The krai’s governing body will encourage solid business plans. Under the Soviet regime, international trade was scarce and enterprises worked under Gosplan, whose goal was to create “more, more, and much more,” Dudnik said. Now the Duma will pressure quality and marketability to companies seeking to muscle into an already competitive region.

“The Pacific Rim is not waiting for us,” Dudnik said. “We are the only region of Russia that borders three very strong economies: Korea, China, and Japan. We’ve got to take advantage of that fact.”

Still, krai officials with direct ties to the Pacific Rim do not expect Duma action soon. “Mr. Dudnik is a very energetic man,” said Galina Lebedina, chair of the Krai’s Foreign Investment Division. “But I haven’t seen any written proof of his plans beyond the reports on his press conference.”

The Duma’s efforts, however, are gaining headway in the krai’s struggling defense industry. As part of its drive into Pacific Rim markets, Dudnik said the Duma will help restructure many of the krai’s weapons manufacturers, which receive lower federal subsidies each year. The federal government recently announced plans to close 1,000 defense companies.

Defense company Ascold, which made military navigation devices and now manufactures farming equipment as well, is taking advantage of the Duma’s promises. “We will eventually begin exporting our equipment to the Pacific Rim,” said Ascold General Director Stanislav Shatorny. “And to do that, we’re working closely with the Duma and counting on its support.”