Opinions & Interviews
Belarus views Poland as important, promising partner in EU
MINSK, 7 June (BelTA) – Belarus considers Poland an important and promising partner in the European Union, Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich said at the opening of the 22nd Belarusian-Polish economic forum Good Neighborliness 2019 on 7 June, BelTA has learned.
According to the head of the upper chamber of parliament, the two countries have reinforced political dialogue, inter-parliamentary and intergovernmental contacts, as well as trade and economic ties. “In 2018, the bilateral trade reached $2.55 billion for the first time in the past eight years. Belarus is home to 339 companies with the Polish capital. The Polish investment in the Belarusian economy totaled $445 million last year,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said. He stressed that Belarus is an open economy. “We are interested in Polish investors,” said the chairman of the Council of the Republic.
Mikhail Myasnikovich stressed the importance of uniting efforts for the implementation of the Belt and Road global project. Here, Belarus and Poland have already done a lot to meet each other halfway. The two countries signed the agreement on railway bridge infrastructure on the Belarusian-Polish border and have been working on highway projects. Belarus is ready to discuss further cooperation with Poland in the transport and logistics sector, including within the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone project.
Belarus attaches special attention to joint innovative and sci-tech projects, including cross-border and infrastructure ones. The parties are mutually interested in environmental projects of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Such projects are implemented through both national resources and EU funding. “This is a common agenda for Europe, and we need to work in this area more effectively,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.
“The Good Neighborliness 2019 forum envisages an active participation of the youth. Their best initiatives must be supported and promoted to startups and real business undertakings. Youth contacts are the future of our cooperation. Such cooperation should be implemented on an open, parity basis,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said. The Council of the Republic has been actively working on the key issues on the bilateral agenda. Belarus and Poland signed intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in education and social security. “These are very important documents for our people, which enable us to solve many sensitive matters,” the head of the upper chamber of parliament added.
According to him, Belarus and Poland can make great headway in what concerns cooperation in such areas as digitalization and IT industry. “Our countries are seeking the status of European leaders in the innovations sector. We know that Poland has a well-developed innovative system consisting of technoparks and incubators. There is also the Polish Development Fund. The country has been running a program to facilitate doing business “Constitution for Business”. Thanks to the presidential decrees (No.7 and No.8) Belarus has introduced measures to promote business and the private sector, created unprecedented conditions for the IT sector,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said. Belarus possesses highly-qualified personnel and good practices which can be useful for Poland.
Mikhail Myasnikovich expressed confidence that meetings and discussions as part of the forum would promote further strengthening of ties and establishment of new contacts between Belarus and Poland. “We hope for your active participation. We welcome constructive ideas and proposals,” the speaker said. He added that at the meeting with the marshal of the Senate of Poland an agreement was reached to develop new joint programs for 2021-2027.
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