NEW CAPITAL

The secretary of state of the Union of Belarus and Russia, Pavel Borodin, and St. Petersburg Governor Vladimir Yakovlev announced on 8 August that within two to three years, St. Petersburg will serve as the base for the new parliament of the Union of Russia and Belarus, "Kommersant-Daily" reported on 9 August. According to Borodin, construction of a new center for the legislators will be undertaken by the U.S. firm Cushman & Wakefield. He added that he has already directed the president to draft the appropriate decree authorizing its construction. "The only thing remaining is a political decision about the creation of a single government of Russia and Belarus," Borodin said.