Opinions & Interviews
PM: Belarus seeks to bolster ties with Slovakia
MINSK, 4 June (BelTA) - Belarus attaches great importance to enhancing cooperation with Slovakia and proposes to implement joint projects in pharmaceuticals, energy, electronics, innovations, pulp and paper industry, Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Rumas said as he met with Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia Andrej Danko in Minsk on 4 June, BelTA has learned.
“Our relations have been growing rapidly in recent years. We have made significant progress in the development of political, economic, inter-parliamentary and regional dialogue. There are many areas where we cooperate and where could combine efforts and will surely achieve success. These include pharmaceuticals, energy, electronics, innovations, science and technology, pulp and paper industry,” Sergei Rumas said.
The prime minister stressed that Slovak companies which do business in Belarus can use all advantages of the Eurasian Economic Union and invited them to establish joint ventures here.
“We are also interested in Slovakia’s experience to attract investment, to develop small and medium-sized businesses, which is a rapidly developing segment of the economy. We have a great potential for economic cooperation, and there is a lot of work ahead of us to use this potential to the full,” Sergei Rumas said.
He also noted that Belarusians are frequent visitors to Slovakia, that he visited the country many times and got only good impressions. In the run-up to the 2nd European Games that Belarus is hosting this year, Sergei Rumas wished Slovak athletes (more than 70 athletes) successful performance.
The speaker of the National Council of Slovakia extended greetings to Belarus as the host of such a milestone event. In his words, the delegation comprises the head of the Slovak Olympic Committee. “We can see that Minsk is a wonderful city which is fully prepared for hosting such large-scale sports events,” he said.
Belarus is a technologically developed country, Andrej Danko said. “The country’s main wealth is its wonderful people. You respect your history and culture. This is what we can learn from you. Our people are used to thinking that all communist things are bad. However, in the energy sector and other key industries we still rely greatly on the progress made during socialism,” he said.
Andrej Danko stated that he is a leader of one of the parties that make part of the ruling coalition. He also supervises some of the ministries, including agriculture and education, and suggested cooperation in these areas.
This is the first visit of the speaker of the National Council of Slovakia in the history of the relations between the two sovereign countries. In 2018, the trade between Belarus and Slovakia amounted to $217.9 million. Belarus had a foreign trade surplus of $10.1 million. In January-March 2019 the trade totaled $54.5 million, up 18.5% year-on-year. Belarus is home to 11 joint ventures and 7 foreign companies with Slovak capital.
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