Events

MINSK, 27 October (BelTA) – Belarus views the European Investment Bank as an important and serious partner with considerable investment resources, advanced experience and expertise, Belarus’ Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said at the meeting with Vice President of the European Investment Bank Alexander Stubb on the sidelines of the Belarusian-European Investment Forum on 27 October, BelTA has learned.

According to the Belarusian head of government, 2017 has been a landmark year in the development of cooperation between Belarus and the Bank. “We have signed a framework agreement. We highly appreciate the fact that before the signing of the agreement the Bank organized a number of visits of its representatives to Belarus with a view to identifying possible areas of cooperation,” he stressed.

Andrei Kobyakov is confident that Belarus and the European Investment Bank will be able to implement a number of landmark projects. “We see real prospects for cooperation in the field of transport infrastructure, housing and utility services, energy efficiency, and also the promotion of small and medium-sized businesses,” the prime minister said. He also expressed hope that the partnership will be based on mutual respect and will be aimed at achieving the most effective results.

Alexander Stubb supported the initiatives to promote dialogue in infrastructure projects, support small and medium-sized businesses, and develop housing and utility services in Minsk.

The parties agreed that Alexander Stubb will soon visit Minsk in order to adopt the first decision on the project to reconstruct the M7/E28 Minsk-Lithuania border (Kamenny Log) highway and upgrade the Kamenny Log border checkpoint. Andrei Kobyakov believes that the implementation of this project will make a significant contribution to the development of the European transit corridors, which, in turn, will increase the potential of Belarus as a transit state.