Opinions & Interviews

“It is great that there are no subjective factors in our relations with Moldova. There is common sense. If necessary, we are ready to restore the level of relations which existed between us in the Soviet Union. We do not need to restore cooperation in other fields. We have never viewed Moldova as an alien state after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. We are keeping an eye on what is going on there,” the head of state said.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that Moldova is interested in Belarus, and Belarus is interested in Moldova. He remarked that he has visited Moldova several times since the Soviet Union. “This is a beautiful and blooming country of great people who are as hardworking as Belarusians. There are good lands giving what we need. We can offer equipment and other things you may need,” the president said.

“The main thing is to have integrated and undivided countries. And people should live happily in these countries. If it is so, we will manage to increase the trade turnover,” the head of state said.

“If you want to step up your presence on the Belarusian market, there will be no problems because you will bring products they do not produce. If you want us to expand our presence in Moldova and are interested in it, be sure that we will do it quickly and efficiently,” Alexander Lukashenko assured.

Pavel Filip, in turn, thanked the Belarusian side for supporting Moldova in the most complicated times when difficulties emerged at the international level. “We are very grateful to you for it. Our people will always remember it,” he said.

According to the prime minister, the relations of Moldova and Belarus and are increasingly vibrant today, including at the level of contacts between business circles. “During my first visit we agreed to hold sessions of intergovernmental commissions twice a year. If you hold them often you can sum up the results, realize what you managed to do and what you still need to do to reach the goal. This is productive,” Pavel Filip remarked.

The legal framework of the Belarusian-Moldovan relations includes 70 documents. In 2016, the bilateral trade made up $227.1 million. Top Belarusian exports are oil products, sugar, tractors and tractor units, timber, tobacco products, ceramic tiles, plastic tape, glass fiber. Moldova exports grape wines, corn, cognac products and other agricultural products, plaster, carpets, and flooring materials.

There are more than 60 representative offices, affiliated companies, subjects of the commodity distribution network and distributors of Belarusian enterprises in Moldova. There are three assembly factories. Belkommunmash assembles trolleybuses in Chisinau, the Smorgon-based plant assembles Belarus-921 tractors at the premises of OOO Agrofermotekh, the Bobruisk plant of tractor parts and units assembles small-capacity tractors in Gagauzia.

There are 25 enterprises with the Moldovan capital in Belarus, including 12 joint companies and 13 foreign ones.

The Belarusian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was founded in 1993. Its 18^th session was held in Minsk in June 2017.

The next session of the commission is expected to take place in Moldova in H1 2018.