The administration of the FEZ "Vitebsk" is working on expanding the zone's borders

October 15, Vitebsk / Sergey Kotovich - BELTA /. The administration of the FEZ "Vitebsk" is working on expanding the zone's borders by including new territories, the head of the investment and foreign economic relations department of the FEZ administration, Oleg Kondratovich, told a BELTA correspondent. It is expected that the borders of the FEZ may include part of Orsha (territories of the northern industrial hub), Orsha district, including the settlements of Barani and Bolbasovo), as well as new sites of the eastern industrial hub in Vitebsk. The total area of the FEZ may increase by approximately several hundred hectares. Currently, the FEZ administration, in agreement with the regional executive committee, is developing a feasibility study for the possibility of including these territories in the free economic zone. Currently, the FEZ administration experiences a shortage of facilities that are fully equipped with the necessary infrastructure and meet the requirements of potential investors. The territories planned for inclusion in the FEZ have significant investment potential and will allow for the implementation of interesting projects with the participation of foreign investors, Oleg Kondratovich noted. For example, in the settlement of Bolbasovo, where the Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant is located, suitable conditions have been created for the establishment of a transport and logistics center, in Barani it is planned to include the RUP "Les" in the FEZ and in the future to implement high-tech projects. One of Vitebsk's private enterprises has initiated a new project in the energy sector, and the planned inclusion of its industrial site within the borders of the free economic zone will create new opportunities for the implementation of plans. The FEZ "Vitebsk" was established in August 1999. Currently, 34 residents from 13 countries, including Germany, the USA, Great Britain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia, operate in the FEZ. The average number of employees in the enterprises exceeds 8 thousand people. Resident enterprises produce products for the fuel, chemical, light, food industries, machine building, and are engaged in scientific research. The territory of the free economic zone includes seven sites with a total area of over 1.2 thousand hectares, located in Vitebsk and Postavy (territory of the Belit plant). -0-