IndependentState

11. The independent state

Ingvar Kamprad was elected the first president of the independent USB. He was supported by a vast majority of both local politicians and the public.

IKEA had at this point become the by far most important financial player of the region, and could easily fill the vacuum that arose in the oil industry when the Russian company Gazprom had to leave the Shtokman field. The establishment of OIL IKEA and the increase in oil production, gained massive public support, as the result was cheaper fuel, a guarantee for still global warming, and an increase of income for both IKEA and the USB.

The construction of New Barents City was handled by IKEAs Smart Living-concept – or Bo Klok as it is called in Swedish. In this project, IKEA is also designing and building the outside of our homes

The principles of contact and unity, also constitutes the choice of making the USB-connector the symbol of the state flag. The USB-interface - the Universal Serial Bus - is familiar to all of us through computers, iPods, digital cameras, printers etc.

It is a powerful and modern symbol of communication, freedom and technology in a borderless society.

The USB makes community, identity and stability possible.

Another successful joint decision between the company and state, was the establishment of the Pomor free-trade zone in the Russian sector IKEA is now in the process of moving its entire production to this area; labour is cheap, taxes are low, and ports for shipping to the whole world are right outside the factory door.

The economic growth of the region made it possible to construct a whole new city when establishing the new capital. New Barents City is located at the exact point where the Norwegian, Finish and Russian sector meets - at a place previously known as Treriksrøysa.