Business news

MINSK, 29 October (BelTA) – Belarus would like to ramp up export to the European Union, Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives Boleslav Pirshtuk said during a meeting with a delegation from the European Parliament led by the Chair of the EP’s Delegation for Relations with Belarus Bogdan Zdrojewski on 29 October, BelTA has learned.

“We are an export-oriented country with an open economy. We have set a task to diversify our export. One of our strategic priorities is naturally entering the European Union market and securing a foothold there. I will give you the following statistics: in 2017 the export was estimated at $14.5 billion, up 30% over 2016. This proves that we made the right choice. We do not hide our aspirations to increase export to the EU member states. At the same time, we get most advanced European technologies to upgrade the domestic economy,” Boleslav Pirshtuk said.

Belarus is implementing a number of economic projects with the European Union. “They include important infrastructure projects, like the project to increase energy efficiency of the housing stock. These are good beginnings, but it is too little and inadequate. We would like to keep expanding cooperation with the European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with those institutions that help us build up economic capacity and implement mutually beneficial projects,” Boleslav Pirshtuk said.