MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st April, 2020) Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry decided to postpone International Industrial Trade Fair Innoprom, which was due in 2020 in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, until July 2021.
"The chairman of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the International Industrial Fair Innoprom, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov decided to postpone the exhibition scheduled for July 7-10, 2020 in Yekaterinburg, until July 2021," the ministry said.
It said the decision was due to an unfavorable epidemiological situation in the world and was aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Russia.
"The Government of the Sverdlovsk Region and exhibition operator Formica Group have been informed of the decision and an official notification will soon be sent to the Italian side (Italy was to become a partner country of the exhibition in 2020)," the ministry said.
"We emphasize that the decision was made primarily on the basis of concern for the health of citizens of the Russian Federation, guests and participants of the fair," it said.
The Innoprom exhibition has been held in Yekaterinburg annually since 2010 and is one of the main industrial, trade and export sites in Russia.
In 2019, the event attracted more than 43,000 visitors and over 1,300 media representatives. Ninety countries took part in Innoprom as exhibitors, delegates, guests of honor and business representatives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared an outbreak of the new coronavirus infection a pandemic. According to the latest WHO data, more than 750,000 cases of COVID-19 have been registered worldwide, over 36,000 people have died.
