Business news

MINSK, 8 June (BelTA) – Belarus and Moscow have plans to boost trade to $5 billion, Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said after a meeting with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Relevant information is posted on the website of the Belarusian government, BelTA has learned.

Andrei Kobyakov pointed out that the trade and economic relations with Moscow are multifaceted and of many dimensions. Despite last year’s decline, the trade is still quite good. In 2015, it totaled $3,083.4 million. In January-March 2016, the figure stood at $578.7 million.

Belarus is eager to increase its exports of trucks, municipal and road-building vehicles to the Russian capital to contribute to the plans to upgrade Moscow’s transport system by 2020. Andrei Kobyakov also invited Sergei Sobyanin to consider expanding the list of imports from Belarus taking into account the latest products of the companies Belkommunmash and Stadler Minsk.

The Belarusian Premier emphasized that Belarus is interested in closer cooperation with Moscow in construction. He believes that Belarusian architects and designers may greatly contribute to the multifaceted image of the Russian capital.

For his part, Sergei Sobyanin thanked the Belarusian side for the food and machinery supplies. He stressed that Moscow and Minsk have a long cooperation history. Their economies are intertwined. Moscow sees Belarus as a key partner, Sergei Sobyanin pointed out. He noted that despite the decline in trade in money terms, the actual amount of exports/imports is growing. First of all, this refers to trade in food.