By Olga Makei: President Alexander Lukashenko has today met with Orel region governor Vadim Potomsky, the main discussion topic being economy. Over the past year, the volume of mutual trade has seen a two-fold decrease compared to 2014. The parties agreed to fix the situation by a number of joint projects. In order to speed up the process, Belarus will set up its representative office in the Orel region and the region, in turn, will launch a similar office in Belarus.
Orel region governor Vadim Potomsky began his visit to Belarus with laying wreaths at the Victory Square in Minsk. The first meeting took place in the Palace of Independence.
Belarus’ exports to the Orel region include oil products, agriculture products and trucks, while imports consist of metals, paving slabs, sunflower oil and automotive bodies. However, last year’s trade turnover saw a two-fold decrease compared to 2014, but Belarus and the Russian region know how to fix the situation.
The Orel region is Russia’s major industrial centre with developed metallurgy and mechanical engineering, the latter accounting for 30% of total production. The region also plans to create a federal cluster for instrumentation engineering and electronics, and Belarus can share its experience in those spheres.
Belarusian experience in agriculture is the area the partners are interested in the most. The Orel region, with its black soils, annually replenishes Russian grain stocks by almost three million tonnes. Belarusian cereal varieties are already being tested in this Russian region.
Vadim Potomsky is visiting Belarus together with experts in agriculture, industry and economic development. Some projects have been agreed on in the Palace of Independence, the President supporting the idea of setting up a Belarusian logistics centre in the Orel region.
The governor visited Mogilev region enterprises to familiarise himself with the production of Belarusian dairy products well-known in the Russian market. The Russian partners are also interested in Belarus’ experience in creating agro-towns and pig breeding development. All cooperation plans have been spelled out in a roadmap until 2018.
The interaction between Belarus and the Orel region was discussed in more detail in the Government House. Both parties are interested in developing relations in three key areas: increasing trade turnover, collaborating in science and technology and developing humanitarian ties.
Vadim Potomsky also visited the Great Patriotic War Museum and left an entry in its guest book.
Tomorrow, the Russian partners will visit the largest Belarusian mechanical engineering enterprises and the agricultural complex Dzerzhinsky. Agreements are likely to be converted into contracts at the Third Forum of Belarusian and Russian Regions, which will be held in Minsk in June.
