Investors from Slovakia are showing interest in the woodworking sector in the Vitebsk region

The woodworking production sector in the Vitebsk region is of greatest interest to investors from Slovakia. This opinion was expressed by Konstantin Cherny, Deputy Chairman of the Economics Committee of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, at a press conference dedicated to the upcoming international economic forum in Vitebsk.

"With Slovakia, the development of projects for the production of finished building structures in the Vitebsk region is promising. Slovak partners confirm this. Vitebskdrev, for example, has good joinery products. Our timber and profiles are already adapted to the standards and samples of EU countries. So why not try supplying Europe with a kind of semi-finished product, but with maximum processing and added value," explained Konstantin Cherny.

In this case, the same Vitebskdrev would know that it has a stable customer for specific volumes, for example, of profiles. And the partner abroad would know how to use the semi-finished product and distribute the products to EU countries with their own configuration without duties and taxes.

"We also want to present an investment project of the Pоstavy Furniture Center for the production of parquet boards at the forum. Europe is returning to natural, organic materials today. And such projects, due to the fact that we have our own raw material zone, but lack some technologies, we will try to present to our foreign partners," - noted Konstantin Cherny. Individual stay programs are planned for each guest this year (in addition to attending the forum itself).

"If the Ambassador of Germany arrives, we will offer him a program of meetings and negotiations with representatives of enterprises where the greatest return can be obtained. That is, it is a pragmatic approach to organizing visits with high efficiency. We pay a lot of attention to the visit of our Russian partners. These are Smolensk, Bryansk, Ivanovo, Saratov, Volgograd. We already have cooperation developments with these regions. Now we want to talk specifically, single out 2-3 directions and try to consolidate them with some document indicating the performers and deadlines," - explained Konstantin Cherny.

He also emphasized that the main focus of the forum is not simply on the presentation of investment projects, but on their innovative component – the launch of new products, the implementation of new technologies. "Today it is important to learn to present oneself not only at home, but also to the whole world. Therefore, the task of the forum, among other things, is to teach the enterprises themselves and our regions how to do this," the interlocutor added. The V International Economic Forum "Innovations. Investments. Prospects" will be held in Vitebsk on May 12-13. The organizers are the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the City Executive Committee, the regional department for supervision of the rational use of fuel and energy resources, KUKP "Vitebsk Regional Marketing Center", the regional employers' union, the administration of the "Vitebsk" free economic zone.

Ekaterina Knyazeva – BELTA.