Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 4 October (BelTA) - Belarus hopes to keep momentum in trade with Lipetsk Oblast of the Russian Federation, Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Edvard Matulis said before the meeting of the working group on cooperation between Belarus and Russia’s Lipetsk Oblast, BelTA has learned.

In January-July 2016 the trade went up by 8% and exceeded $124 million. “I think that this year, judging from the results that we have achieved, we will be able to keep this momentum,” said Edvard Matulis.

Belarus and Lipetsk Oblast have developed close cooperation. Lipetskoblsnab Company hosts a permanent exhibition of Belarusian machinery, mainly tractors, combine harvesters and attachments, which are sold to farmers in Lipetsk Oblast and other regions of Russia. A training center for Belarusian machinery maintenance has been set up at the Bunin Yelets State University. The parties also cooperate in the supply of agricultural products, road construction.

The parties plan to discuss the progress made in the implementation of the action plan for the development of cooperation in trade, economy, science and culture in 2016-2017.

The delegation of Lipetsk Oblast is in Belarus on an official visit on 3-6 October. The aim of the visit is to get familiar with the road construction and maintenance technologies, the system of cooperative procurement. Lipetsk Oblast is interested in expanding supplies of Belarusian foodstuffs and promoting cooperation in the educational field.