Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 1 December (BelTA) – It is time to take the interparliamentary cooperation between Belarus and Serbia to a new level, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Anatoly Rubinov said as he met with First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dacic on 1 December, BelTA has learned.

According to Anatoly Rubinov, the interparliamentary cooperation between the two countries has been gaining momentum. “The friendship groups play an important role here,” the Speaker noted. Anatoly Rubinov added that the speakers of the two parliaments have not established solid contacts yet. “It is time to increase the level of our interparliamentary cooperation,” he believes. Anatoly Rubinov expressed hope that his Serbian counterpart Maja Gojkovic will accept the invitation to pay an official visit to Belarus. “This visit will be very useful; it will give an additional impetus to the interparliamentary relations,” Anatoly Rubinov is convinced.

Speaking about cooperation prospects in trade and economy, the Chairman of the Council of the Republic noted that the Belarus-Serbia intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation resumed its work. “The next session of the commission is scheduled for 2015, which attests to the implementation of the roadmap,” the Speaker said. He believes that the free trade agreement signed by Belarus and Serbia in 2009 played an important part here. Since that time, the trade rose 3.5 times to reach nearly $200 million in 2013. As was declared on the highest level, the bilateral trade should be increased up to $500 million in the near future, the Speaker added.

Anatoly Rubinov noted that he pins great hopes on investment projects and joint ventures, like the implementation of big construction projects by Serbia in Minsk and assembly production of Belarusian machinery in Serbia.

Ivica Dacic thanked the Belarusian partners for the warm welcome. He noted that it is his first visit to Belarus. “Our countries maintain friendly relations; our nations have much in common. Belarus and Serbia have no disputes, therefore all the conditions are in place to deepen cooperation,” he said.

Ivica Dacic assured that he will tell the Serbian Speaker about Anatoly Rubinov’s invitation to pay an official visit to Belarus.