Opinions & Interviews

Commenting on his meetings with Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas and Istanbul Province Governor Vasip Sahin, the Speaker of the Council of the Republic noted that the regional cooperation is useful as it gives direct interaction and joint projects.

“Today’s meetings with the Mayor and the Governor have opened up new opportunities for us to establish direct ties with the cities and regions of Turkey. This is the main point of our visit to Istanbul,” Anatoly Rubinov said.

In his words, Istanbul is a city of about 15 million people and this means that the cooperation with the Turkish city is of high importance for Belarus. “The city is not only a business hub but also a home to many centers that keep in touch with other Turkish regions. The Istanbul Mayor is Chairman of the Association of Turkish Municipalities,” Anatoly Rubinov said.

According to Consul General of Belarus to Istanbul Igor Bely, special attention was paid to regional cooperation during the visit. In his words, a twin-town agreement has already been signed between Mogilev and Bursa. There are plans to conclude a similar agreement between Grodno and Edirne. One more twin-town agreement between Istanbul and Gomel is pending singing.

The parties are mulling over a number of agreements, including the one between the regional chambers of commerce of the two countries. The move will step up cooperation between the business communities of Belarus and Turkey.