Opinions & Interviews

GRODNO, 15 August (BelTA) – The Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions to be held in the Russian city of Sochi will open new cooperation opportunities for the two countries, Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Kravtsov told reporters during a phone-in with residents on 15 August, BelTA has learned.

“Grodno Oblast’s participation in the Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions will be another step toward closer cooperation. Russia is the main foreign trading partner for our region. Our export to this country accounts for over 60% of the total. This is why we are so interested in strengthening the cooperation. First of all, we want to increase our food exports to the Russian market,” Vladimir Kravtsov noted.

The Forum of Regions will provide a negotiation platform for representatives of different producing companies, trading organizations, and regional and city administrations. An expo of industrial products will be held as part of the forum. Partaking in the expo on behalf of Grodno Oblast will be OAO Grodno Azot, Lidalakokraska, Lidselmash, and woodworking enterprises. Besides, the program of the forum will also feature fairs. Grodno Meat-Packing Plant, Molochny Mir Dairy, Volkovysk Meat-Packing Plant, and a number of other Grodno Oblast companies will take part in the fairs to showcase their meat and dairy products.

“This is our chance to intensify the bilateral cooperation, establish new trade, economic, and business ties, and present Grodno Oblast to the regions of Russia. We must use this chance,” Vladimir Kravtsov stressed.

Sochi will be hosting the second Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions on 17-18 September 2015. The first edition of the forum was held in Minsk in 2014. It gathered over 300 representatives of Belarusian and Russian regions.