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Sergei Chichuk stressed that Belarus and Moldova are connected by the long-standing ties of friendship and cooperation. The countries have stepped up cooperation at the level of parliaments and governments of the two countries, intensified contacts between ministries and agencies, developed inter-regional ties and mutually beneficial partnership between economic operators. The official visit of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to Moldova in 2014 proved that the country are ready to step up efforts to enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, expand trade and economic ties.

Belarusian products sell well on the market of Moldova, Moldovan products are in demand in Belarus. According to the Ambassador, Belarusian tractors account for three fourths of tractors used in Moldova, Moldovan consumers like Belarusian household equipment, light industry goods, dairy products, medications. In the past several years Belarus has been number one importer of Moldovan wines, fruit and vegetables. Belarus accounts for 42% of Moldova’s export of wine and 23% of its fruit and vegetable export.

The bilateral cooperation has been increasingly vibrant in recent years. Joint ventures to produce Belarusian trolleybuses and tractors have been established in Chisinau. According to the Ambassador, there are good prospects for bolstering bilateral trade of Belarus and Moldova thanks to the development of industrial cooperation, ramping up the assembly of Belarusian tractors and trolleybuses as part of joint projects in Moldova. There are plans to launch the assembly of MAZ buses in Moldova and set up joint ventures to produce sparkling and still wines in Belarus.

In 2014 the bilateral trade of Belarus and Moldova went up 15.4% to $411.8 million. Belarus’s export totaled $262.2 million. Belarus is the 14^th largest trade partner of Moldova in the world and the 4^th trade partner in the CIS after Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The fact that the economies of the two countries are complementary helps promote trade and economic relations. Belarus exports a wide range of industrial goods and petrochemical products to Moldova. The sides are mulling over the delivery of new kinds of goods such as grain drying and irrigation equipment, BelGee cars.

The 16^th session of the Belarusian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation and the Belarusian-Moldovan business forum which will take place in Minsk on 15 July are expected to give an additional impetus to the development of trade and economic relations. Experts from the two countries will discuss joint interaction and the nearest prospects of cooperation.

Partaking in the solemn meeting dedicated to Belarus Independence Day were MPs, members of the government, the Chisinau City Hall, the interethnic relations bureau, representatives of business circles, scientists and creative figures, representatives of national communities, organizations of Belarus-Moldova friendship, diplomats and veterans.