Penza, 2 December 2014. PenzaNews. Natalya Zubarevich, Doctor of Geography, professor of Economy and Social Geography department of the Geography faculty in the Moscow State University, expert of the UN Development Program and the Moscow branch of the International Labor Organization, pointed out that investments in the Penza region saw noticeable growth since 2008 compared to the country average levels.

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“Your situation is quite well as of yet. The Russian Federation had no industrial growth at all in 2013. In 2014, measly 1.5% were achieved due to devaluation and small import replacement. Your picture is much more vivid – both in 2013 and in January-September 2014. You have a growth at 3.5-4%, cheers!” said Natalya Zubarevich during a roundtable discussion in the regional government dedicated to social and economy development of the Penza region on Tuesday, December 2.

She noted that the Penza region received a weaker inflow of investment during the late 90-s and the early 2000-s, but the situation had a breakthrough in the last 5-7 years.

“You have shown a very strong investment growth – at 30%. Overall investments in the Russian Federation grew by 2% since 2008. The country is in an investment limbo, if you haven’t noticed. Perhaps you have not, because you are not in this limbo,” the MSU professor said.

However, Natalya Zubarevich noted that the first half of 2014 saw Penza region investment growth slightly decrease, which may continue in the future.

“You will not hide from the country-wide trend, and it’s negative. As a Marxism classic told, you cannot live in the society and be free from the society,” she concluded.