Press releases

GRODNO, 31 August (BelTA) - Poland and Belarus will promote the Augustow Canal under a single brand and will work on joint projects in tourism. The agreements were reached during a meeting of the delegation of the Polish Sejm and top officials of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.

The Polish delegation led by led by Vice Speaker Ryszard Terlecki visited Grodno Oblast on 31 August.

“Belarus has great opportunities for tourism development. We note the growing interest in Poland on the part of guests from Western Europe, and we can offer them more. We therefore need to develop joint projects which could draw additional tourists to the two countries,” Ryszard Terlecki said. According to him, it will be possible to talk about specific proposals as early as 2018.

“Grodno Oblast maintain ties with the Polish regions not only in economy but also in culture and tourism where we have common interests and goals. The development of the Augustow Canal under the single brand will increase the flow of tourists on both sides of the border,” Deputy Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Viktor Liskovich said. By the way, a third out of 35,000 tourists who took advantage and already visited the Augustow Canal Park without a visa were citizens of Poland.

The parties also discussed the possibilities of economic cooperation. Ryszard Terlecki praised the business and investment environment in Belarus. “Trade between the countries rose by 8%, but I see room for further growth,” he said. Grodno Oblast is ready to offer investment cooperation in logistics, industry, projects to set up energy-intensive production facilities, agriculture and tourism.

Grodno Oblast and Polish regions continue to cooperate under cross-border projects. As part of the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine program for 2014-2020 pending approval are over 120 joint initiatives in culture, education, sports, tourism, medicine, and other areas with a total funding of about €78 million.