Business news

MINSK, 7 July (BelTA) – Belarus and Smolensk Oblast intend to advance cooperation in flax farming. The intentions were discussed during the session of the working group on cooperation between Belarus and Smolensk Oblast on 6 July, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry website. The session was chaired by Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Anatoly Sivak and Smolensk Oblast Vice Governor Rostislav Rovbel.

Representatives of central and regional government agencies, concerns, enterprises, and organizations of Belarus and Russia’s Smolensk Oblast took part in the session. The sides talked about inviting contractors and financial partners from Belarus for the sake of finishing construction projects in Smolensk Oblast. The sides discussed expanding cooperation between Belarus and Smolensk Oblast in flax farming and processing, including the production and utilization of flax harvesters, manufacturing cooperation in the production sector.

The possibility of using the Vitebsk international airport for flying citizens of Russia and Belarus to cities located in Krasnodar Territory, to Saint Petersburg, and other cities of Russia was discussed as well. The organization of direct railway service between Vitebsk and Smolensk was also mentioned.

Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Anatoly Sivak also met with Smolensk Oblast Governor Aleksei Ostrovsky to discuss matters of future mutually beneficial cooperation. Both sides are convinced that the decisions that have been made will allow fully utilizing the available potential in the production sector, agriculture, civil engineering, and transport industry this year and in years to come.

In 2017 Belarus’ trade with Smolensk Oblast exceeded $4.1 billion, 113.7% as against 2016. The bilateral trade continued growing in Q1 2018, too. In January-March 2018 the trade volume went beyond $1.1 billion, 100.6% as against the same period of last year.