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Arctic Yearbook 2014
of wages, weak concern for the creation of favorable working environments and the absence of
adequate compensations for unhealthy job conditions. Such irresponsible behavior was largely
explained by the extremely weak attachment of the new company’s leadership to the community
since the company’s decision-making is taking place outside the territory where the company
operates (from the head-quarters of its ultimate parent – JSC “Acrone”) and the top level
managers are almost entirely from outside the municipality. A reason for the negative attitudes
was also the company’s conflict with environmental NGOs on the “Khibiny” National Park.
The conflict reached its peak in 2012 due to the intention of the new company to build the
technological road for ore transportation from the “Partamchorr” mine to the processing plant
near the “Oleniy ruchei” mine. The road (about 30 km long) had to cross the area of the planned
National Park. Local ecological NGOs were strongly against the road construction. To resolve
the conflict the regional government initiated the creation of a commission with participation
from various interested parties, including representatives of NWPC, ecological NGOs and
research organizations. The conflict was actively discussed in the local media and among the
members of internet communities, but public hearings, which were conducted at the planning
stages of the new project