The ambitions of Gazprom OAO (GAZP.RS) were dealt a symbolic blow Thursday when Saint Petersburg's governor prohibited the gas giant from building a skyscraper in the center of Russia's imperial capital.
The ambitions of Gazprom OAO (GAZP.RS) were dealt a symbolic blow
Thursday when
Saint Petersburg
's
governor prohibited the gas giant from building a skyscraper in the center of
Russia
's
imperial capital.
"We have held talks with Gazprom and reached a final decision to move this
project to a different location," news agencies quoted Governor Valentina
Matviyenko as saying, in a reversal of her previous support for the project.
She said her government would also reimpose a ban on tall buildings that it had
temporarily lifted to allow the powerful company to proceed with plans to build
its new headquarters.
Plans for the 403-meter glass skyscraper had sparked fears that it would spoil
the low-rise skyline of the city, whose center is protected by UNESCO, and the
project was recently slammed by the Russian culture minister.
Saint Petersburg
is the native city of
Russia
's
former president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has publicly
backed the idea.
But last year, a leaked letter revealed opposition to the plan from current
President Dmitry Medvedev, who also comes from
Russia
's
second-largest city.
Political analysts have suggested that Matviyenko may now be trying to save her
seat in power following Medvedev's dismissal in September of another powerful
local leader, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov.
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