Opinions & Interviews

BREST, 13 April (BelTA) - Brest Oblast is open to fruitful cooperation with the countries of the European Union in all sectors of the economy and the social sphere, Chairman of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee Anatoly Lis said as he met with a delegation of ambassadors of the EU countries led by the head of the European Union Delegation in Belarus Maira Mora, BelTA has learned.

Brest Oblast maintains trade operations with 124 countries. The countries of the European Union account for a quarter of total trade of Brest Oblast. In 2014 the trade between Brest Oblast and the EU countries amounted to almost €1 billion. Unfortunately, this is a little below of the trade in 2013, said Anatoly Lis.

The negative trend in the trade with the EU countries caused by the objective reasons has remained in place so far. In January-February 2015, the foreign trade amounted to €92 million, or 65% compared to the same period of last year.

The situation can be corrected, said the head of the region. "Brest Oblast has good achievements in trade with many countries of the European Union. Such processing companies as Santa Bremor, Savushkin Product, Bereza Cheese Plant have certificates for the supply of products to the EU. These companies have already found there their customers. I hope and believe that we can increase our bilateral cooperation in the economic sector and find common ground on many issues,” Anatoly Lis said.

The Governor also noted that the region pays great attention to the development of interregional links with the neighboring regions. Now the Brest Oblast Executive Committee is actively involved in the preparation of a program for cross-border cooperation Poland-Belarus-Ukraine for the 2014-2020 period. It is planned that the budget of the new program will amount to €175 million. The local organizations will take an active part in the projects of the program, the Governor assured the diplomats. More enterprises and organizations of the region join the programs of international technical assistance.

The meeting also discussed the preferences for foreign investors, the prospects of relaxing the customs procedures for goods and natural persons at the border, and the development of international tourism.

The delegation includes representatives of 14 European states. "This is our familiarization trip around the country. The diplomatic staff is constantly rotating. Our place of work is in the capital, but we would like to know more about the regions. When undertaking such joint trips we are primarily interested in the projects financed by the European Union,” Maira Mora said.

The diplomats showed interest in the international crossing point Peschatka, on the construction of which the European Union allocated more than €10 million. In addition, the delegation visited Savushkin Product Dairy and the Brest Hero Fortress memorial complex.