Business news

GRODNO, 18 December (BelTA) - With the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union, the investment appeal of Belarus, including Grodno, has been growing, Chairman of the Grodno City Hall Mechislav Goi, said at the third meeting of sister cities of Belarus and Poland in Grodno, BelTA has learnt.

Mechislav Goi stressed that large industrial enterprises make the core of the city economy. Thanks to them the city has preserved a fairly high level of socio-economic development over the past years. This year the Grodno enterprises manufactured products worth of $1.8 billion, and exported more than half of them. The most important factor for long-term sustainable growth, according to the Mayor, is investment and private sector development. There are 228 companies with foreign capital in the city. There are successful enterprises with Polish capital, including industrial and commercial OOO Typhoon, Navigator and Queenfood companies.

Grodno has been developing stable relations with Polish cities. For example, Polish Bialystok became a sister city of Grodno over 50 years ago.

Mechislav Goi also reported that within the framework of transboundary cooperation Poland-Belarus-Ukraine implemented 12 projects in healthcare, education, and tourism. Grodno is crossed by the international transport corridor: Warsaw-Bialystok-Grodno-Vilnius-St Petersburg.

The city has become more attractive as the Republic of Belarus joined the EEU. The union operates a single customs territory and goods are moved without being levied by customs. Free movement of labor and capital is in the works.

The Grodno Mayor urged representatives of the Polish cities to develop contacts with the city of Grodno and Grodno Oblast more actively.