Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 10 November (BelTA) – Belarus may become a springboard to the market of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) for Romania, Belarus’ Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said at a meeting with Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor-Viorel Melescanu on 10 November, BelTA has learned.

“Belarus may become a springboard to the EAEU market for Romania. We have the necessary logistics and industrial infrastructure, highly-qualified personnel,” said Andrei Kobyakov.

The premier also emphasized the interest of the sides in setting up in Belarus the joint manufacturing of car components, furniture, clothes, textile, building materials, and agricultural products, and also implementing projects in IT and healthcare. Joint assembly plants can also be set up in Romania with the subsequent advancement of joint products to third markets. The experience in this area has already been gained. A licensed tractor assembly plant has been opened in Romania’s Mures.

Andrei Kobyakov expressed confidence that the current visit of the Romanian minister of foreign affairs would become a starting point for the dialogue between the two countries to enter a qualitatively new level. The bilateral contacts have recently intensified in all the areas. The Belarusian-Romanian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation has resumed its activity following a long break. The dialogue between the parliaments of the two countries is in full swing. “In our opinion, there are all necessary conditions for further enhancement of bilateral contacts in the near future,” the prime minister said.

Teodor-Viorel Melescanu conveyed greetings from Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, who expressed hope for a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart in the near future. “We cannot say that the relations between our countries were as active as we wanted them to be. However, in the past two or three years we have reached a considerable increase in the bilateral trade thanks to our embassies,” said Teodor-Viorel Melescanu.

Romania also welcomes Belarus-EU dialogue. “We have always been for this rapprochement. We are convinced that it creates favorable conditions for the development of our economic relations,” the minister said.