Opinions & Interviews

VITEBSK, 29 November (BelTA) – Latvia views tourism and information technology as some of the most promising avenues of cooperation with Belarus besides traditional sectors like wood processing, mechanical engineering, transport and logistics, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to Belarus Martins Virsis told reporters as he answered a question of a BelTA journalist at the Belarus-Latvia Business Forum in Vitebsk on 29 November.

The diplomat believes that tourism offers plenty of opportunities for the two countries. A lot has already been done to promote this area of cooperation, including the introduction of the visa waiver. However, there is still room for growth.

“As far as information technology is concerned, after adopting Decree No. 8 on promotion of digital economy, Belarus has made a leap forward and has caught the eye of serious market players,” the diplomat is convinced.

Martins Virsis emphasized that relations between Belarus and Latvia are based on mutual respect and open dialogue, which allows the two countries to promote their cooperation in a dynamic and constructive way at the highest political level across various fields. To illustrate his point the diplomat cited the increasing number of joint ventures registered both in Belarus and Latvia. “When I started working here in 2015, Belarus had about 600 companies with Latvian capital. This year, according to our statistics, their number has reached 944. There are 1,400 such companies in Latvia,” the ambassador added.