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MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) – Government support will be provided to cluster projects in Belarus, Dmitry Krupsky, the head of the economy department at the Economy Ministry, told BelTA in the run-up to the national seminar on the institutional framework for the development of clusters, BelTA has learned.

Revised Decree No. 255 is expected to be issued at the end of this yea - first quarter of 2018. It will envisage government support for cluster projects. Priority support will go to innovative-industrial clusters in hi-tech industries. This is a fundamental position,” Dmitry Krupsky said.

He also stressed that the issue is very important for Belarus. Clustering is a strong tool to increase competitiveness of both individual economic entities and also the national economy as a whole.

The seminar is attended by cluster policy experts from Belgium, Poland and Spain. Dmitry Krupsky views the experience of these countries as important. “They have all necessary infrastructure to support clusters, a sufficient number of business associations and cluster development centers. Any cluster envisages self-organization of its participants in the implementation of joint investment and innovation projects, marketing research and the development and advancement of the common brand,” he said.

According to Deputy Economy Minister Yuri Chebotar, innovations are among the priorities of the current social and economic development program. “It is impossible to promote innovations without clusters. By using foreign experience, the participants of the seminar, most of whom are civil servants, can decide on the steps to promote the development of clusters,” he stressed.

The seminar on the institutional framework for the development of clusters has been organized by the Economy Ministry as part of the TAIEX program implemented under the aegis of the European Commission. The two-day seminar is designed to study the European cluster policy and ways to adjust it to the Belarusian social and economic development model. Attending the seminar are representatives of the national and local authorities responsible for the cluster policy, national and regional business associations, academic and university community.