Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 13 April (BelTA) – The initiative to hold the Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions has taken on special importance, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Anatoly Rusetsky said on 13 April during a meeting of the joint organizing committee for the third edition of the forum, BelTA has learned.

“This year is a special one. It will mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Belarus-Russia Union State. Hardly anyone today can say that our association is dysfunctional. It is very good that we find new forms of cooperation. I believe that the initiative suggested by Chairperson of Russia’s Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko and supported by our leadership has taken on special importance,” Anatoly Rusetsky said.

Russia and Belarus have already held two forums. One of them was devoted to agricultural policy and the other to industrial policy. The next edition of the forum will discuss social and humanitarian issues.

Anatoly Rusetsky thinks it is very important that regional chambers of the parliaments of Belarus and Russia take part in the event. “The interaction between regions fills our interparliamentary cooperation with new issues, alongside with legislative activities and economic affairs,” Anatoly Rusetsky added.

For his part, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia Yuri Vorobyov said that there were plans to hold the third edition of the forum on 8-9 June, but then the dates were shifted to 7-8 June. He thanked the Belarusian side for the productive cooperation. Attending the meeting of the organizing committee also were Deputy Chairperson of the Federation Council Galina Karelova, representatives of Russian and Belarusian ministries and government agencies, and MPs.