Opinions & Interviews

VILNIUS, 20 September (BelTA) - The Belarusian-Lithuanian economic cooperation improves year after year, which is reflected in the increasing trade, export and mutual investment. All this contributes to the growth of the Lithuanian economy, BelTA learnt from Lithuania’s Transport Minister Rimantas Sinkevicius.

The Minister noted that he is pleased with the relations in the field of transport. Cooperation between the Lithuanian and Belarusian railways benefits railway workers and contributes to the development of the economies of the two countries and improves people’s lives.

Almost 80% of the cargoes transported by the Lithuanian railroad cross Belarus. According to the Lithuanian Minister, transit of Belarus’ cargoes through the Klaipeda sea port totaled about 11 million tonnes in 2012. Belarusian transit cargoes made up 30.5% of all the cargoes transshipped at Klaipeda’s port. “This figure is impressive. However, it is not the only example of tight and quite successful economic cooperation between Lithuania and Belarus. We see good prospects in expanding cooperation and increasing the number of new cargoes transported by the intermodal container trains Viking, Saule and Mercury,” Rimantas Sinkevicius noted.

“The Lithuania-Belarus-Ukraine joint container train project Viking, which started in 2003 and linked the sea ports of Klaipeda and Illichivsk (Odessa Oblast), has stood the test of time: it has been recognized on the European level and scooped international awards. The project unites more and more states and its geography is expanding. The Scandinavian countries, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean states (Turkey) have voiced their interest to partake in it. I think that this project also facilitates the strengthening of the Lithuanian-Belarusian cooperation,” Rimantas Sinkevicius underlined.