SIMFEROPOL, April 21 (RIA Novosti) – More than 200 Russian bank branches will have opened by the end of this month throughout Russia's new region of Crimea, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Russia said Monday.
“By the end of the month, a network of Russian bank branches operating with the ruble will have more than 200 branches,” Mikhail Sukhov said at a press conference.
The deputy governor expressed hope that the process of transitioning to the ruble will be accelerated.
"Two weeks ago we did not have this [banking] network," he said.
"If all goes here at the same pace, we will have objective economic grounds for the ruble to become the main means of payment throughout the whole territory of the Russian Federation, including Crimea," Sukhov added.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced last month that Russia will designate Crimea as a special economic zone with tax breaks to attract investors. He said a ministry for Crimean affairs will be created to oversee the program, to be led by Oleg Savelyev, an official in the Economic Development Ministry.
The prime minister also called for an opening of Russian bank branches across the peninsula, adding that provisions to provide loans in rubles have already been taken.
