Opinions & Interviews

GOMEL, 26 October (BelTA) - Transboundary cooperation is a key factor and a working tool that promotes social and economic development of regions of Belarus and Ukraine, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom said at the plenary session of the 1^st Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine in Gomel on 26 October, BelTA has learned.

“The 1^st Forum is an excellent opportunity to boost cooperation between the regions of Belarus and Ukraine. Transboundary cooperation is a key factor and a working tool contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of the regions, and also the opportunity to balance emerging differences. It is of particular importance that the leaders of the two countries are taking part in the forum,” said Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom. Assessing the scale of the Belarusian-Ukrainian forum, she stressed that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe sets the same task as the forum but only within the European space, and also within the borders of the 47 member countries of the Council of Europe. Ukraine is among them. “Belarus is not yet a member of the Council of Europe. I hope, however, that it will become a member of our large family,” said Gudrun Mosler-Tornstrom.

The president of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe arrived at the 1^st Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine at the invitation of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe unites representatives of more than 200,000 administrative-territorial units of 47 member states of the Council of Europe.