The share of small and medium-sized businesses in the export volume of the Vitebsk region increased to 22%

July 7, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA/. Small and medium-sized enterprises of the Vitebsk region increased their export volume by 28% in 2010, with their share in the total export volume of the region growing to 22%. This was announced today by Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Oleg Matskevich at the opening of the XI Republican Exhibition-Fair "Small Business in Festival Vitebsk", according to a BELTA correspondent.

Entrepreneurship is an important component of the socio-economic complex of the region, constantly demonstrating qualitative and quantitative growth. Thus, there are 8.2 thousand small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the region, and about 29 thousand individual entrepreneurs are employed. The entrepreneurial sector accounts for about 3% of the industrial production volume and 7% of the consumer goods production volume. Small and medium-sized businesses effectively solve employment issues, play a significant role in the formation of local budgets and the creation of a competitive environment.

According to Oleg Matskevich, the declaration of 2011 as the Year of Entrepreneurship, the adoption of Directive No. 4 and the regulatory acts for its development are evidence of the state's close and targeted attention to creating favorable conditions for the implementation of entrepreneurial initiatives. In the Year of Entrepreneurship, for the first time in the Vitebsk region, funding for the annual entrepreneurship support program has been increased several times to Br8 billion. These funds will be directed, among other things, towards the implementation of ambitious projects for the development of infrastructure to support private initiative and citizens' business activity. For example, in conjunction with OJSC "ASB Belarusbank," the construction of the Vitebsk business center is planned, which will house office and administrative premises, as well as a small business incubator. The center is intended to be a venue for exhibitions, economic forums, specialized seminars, and conferences. In addition, the creation of a regional innovation center is planned for 2011. "Despite temporary difficulties, the regional executive committee does not intend to curtail the implementation of any program in the region, including the entrepreneurship support program," emphasized Oleg Matskevich.

About 40 enterprises from all regions of Belarus are participating in the XI Republican Exhibition Fair "Small Business in Festival Vitebsk." The exhibition's theme has maintained its traditional focus. The exposition features consumer goods, including textile and knitwear, home and interior goods, tableware, crystal, leather goods, souvenirs, and cosmetics. The business program of the exhibition includes a round table discussion on "Formation of Infrastructure to Support Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Regions. Experience, Problems, Prospects." The exhibition fair is designed to promote the development of a competitive environment, stimulate the development of cooperation between domestic and foreign small businesses, and create conditions for domestic producers to enter markets in near and far abroad. The exhibition will conclude its work on July 14.

The event is organized by the Department for Entrepreneurship of the Ministry of Economy of Belarus, the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, and the communal consulting unitary enterprise "Vitebsk Regional Marketing Center".-0-