Opinions & Interviews

Ambassador: Belarus, Serbia may reach $500m in mutual trade within next 2-3 years

MINSK, 30 January (BelTA) – The goal of $500 million in trade between Belarus and Serbia can be achieved within the next two or three years, Belarus’ Ambassador to Serbia Valery Brylev told the media on 30 January, BelTA has learned.

According to the ambassador, currently this figure is considerably smaller, about $160 million. The goal of $500 million is attainable within the next two or three years if all the concluded agreements and contracts are implemented, the ambassador said.

“We have a number of complex projects. There is progress in machinery supplies, great results in the supply of food products. We started delivering metal, assembling fire engines based on our frames for the Serbian market and third countries. A total of 14 BelAZ trucks were supplied to Serbia last year,” Valery Brylev said.

Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich stated that there is a free trade agreement between the two countries. “This is a great advantage that we need to use to the full,” he stressed. According to the head of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Belarusian business is showing a lot of interest in cooperation with Serbian counterparts. The number of companies taking part in today's meeting with representatives of Serbian business in Minsk, about 100, testifies to the fact. "We have the opportunity to discuss new areas of cooperation. These proposals are mainly agrarian,” said Vladimir Ulakhovich. In his opinion, Belarus still has an untapped potential of the gate to the market of the Eurasian Economic Union.
 
Serbia also sees great potential for bilateral cooperation. According to Honorary Consul of Belarus in Serbia, Dana Holdings Vice President Dragomir Karic, the business meeting promises to be eventful. It will feature negotiations on new manufacturing projects, including for the production of farming machinery, veterinary preparations. Serbian manufacturers of furniture, jeans, companies interested in the joint production of electronics have also arrived in Belarus. The parties plan to sign agreements of intent.

The meeting with representatives of Serbian business in Minsk will feature talks on the Belarusian-Serbian trade and economic cooperation. Business representatives will discuss the development of cooperation and the possibility of implementing joint projects in the areas of construction and building materials, telecommunications, automobile production, utilities, metallurgy, foundry, instrument making, chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

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