MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia probably needs a "Law on the Arctic" as a unified legal basis for its activities in the region, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.
"Laws that regulate legal arrangements in the Arctic are practically non-existent. We need to decide on whether we need a unified legal act – the Law on the Arctic," he said at a meeting to discuss the Arctic.
Russian governmental commission on the Arctic also needs to look into the revision of activities of Russia's Arctic development program, and adjustment of the socio-economic development program of the Arctic until 2020.
Rogozin said that Russia was going to invest 222 billion rubles ($4.3 billion) in its Arctic development program in 2015-2020
Russia has been pressing ahead with efforts to develop its Arctic territories, including hydrocarbon production and development of the Northern Sea Route, which is gaining importance as an alternative to traditional routes from Europe to Asia. The country has also boosted its military presence in the area.