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Minsk will host the Third Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions on 7 to 8 June. The event will be devoted to social and humanitarian issues. “Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russia President Vladimir Putin have decided to attend the forum,” Anatoly Rusetsky said.

He added that the plenary session will evaluate progress in the implementation of the coordinated social and economic policy of the Belarus-Russia Union State. Other matters on the agenda of the forum include bilateral cooperation in labor relations and social security, provision of healthcare services, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, mass media, youth policy, cooperation in science and education, and implementation of the coordinated agricultural policy in the Union State. Industrial cooperation is also likely to be discussed during the forum.

A number of large-scale events will be held as part of the Forum of Regions, such as the trade show Belagro 2016, the Days of Moscow in Minsk, a sports competition for children and youth, the festival Image of Time that will bring together regional TV companies, and many others. Besides, the program of the forum will feature the third meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission for Interregional Cooperation of the Council of the Republic of Belarus and the Federation Council of Russia.

Anatoly Rusetsky noted that all these and other matters will be talked over during the next session of the organizing committee to be held in Minsk on 13 April.

The previous edition of the Belarus-Russia Forum of Regions discussed industrial policy. It took place in the Russian city of Sochi on 17 to 18 September 2015. Attending the event were Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin. The forum gathered representatives of more than 50 regions of Russia and all Belarusian regions. Contracts to the total tune of $250 million were signed.