Vitebsk region has concluded a cooperation agreement with the Bryansk region

An agreement on cooperation between the Vitebsk and Bryansk regions was signed during the visit of the Russian delegation headed by Governor Alexander Bogomaz to the Dvina region.

Vitebsk Oblast and Bryansk Oblast have long-standing partnership relations. An agreement on cooperation covering various spheres of economy and social life was signed back in the mid-1990s. However, the time has come to update this document and fill it with new content.

As explained by Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev, the trade turnover between the two regions has decreased significantly in recent years due to objective reasons. Today, the task is to give new impetus to business ties. And the two regions have something to offer each other.

– We have been seriously preparing for the signing of the new document. Several meetings were held before the current official visit, during which the main areas of cooperation were determined, – said Nikolai Sherstnev after signing the agreement.

In particular, they concern the construction industry. Vitebsk enterprises could help Russians in this area. Bryansk Oblast experiences a shortage of construction and road machinery, labor, and building materials. So, we can share our reserves to our mutual benefit. The first step in this direction was the contract for the supply of bricks signed during the visit.

Russians are ready to purchase hoists, cranes, manipulators, water treatment systems, and other exclusive products manufactured in Vitebsk Oblast.

– We want to offer Bryansk Oblast the very best, so that our neighbors' production efficiency increases, and our production capacities are fully utilized, – noted Nikolai Sherstnev.

For his part, the Governor of Bryansk Oblast emphasized that the Russian region achieved great results in agriculture last year. And this was largely due to cooperation with Belarus.

– We visited you, studied, adopted experience, and implemented Belarusian advanced technologies in our land, – said Alexander Bogomaz. – One of the calling cards of the Bryansk region is potatoes; we also call ourselves "bulbashy" (potato growers). The region produces over a million tons of this crop annually.

The second is crystal. Some time ago, the factory went bankrupt, but since January of last year, it has started operating again and producing the goods our region is famous for. As a gift, we brought a crystal icon of Saint Oleg of Bryansk.

The head of the Bryansk region also noted that during the meeting with the leadership of the Vitebsk region, the organization of joint ventures was discussed. In the near future, working groups will be created to more specifically define areas of joint activity in various directions. And at the end of August, a meeting will be held on the Bryansk land.

During the visit, the delegation members visited SHP "MazolovoGaz", OJSC "Moloko", Vitebsk Meat Packing Plant, "Marko" Leather and Footwear Holding, and familiarized themselves with the work of enterprises "Polymerkonstruktsiya", "Vitstroytehmash", "Energokomplekt", "Forteks – Vodnye Tekhnologii", "Monolit", "Vitebskiye Kovry", where negotiations were held on possible production cooperation and the organization of a sales network.

Tatyana Pasternak. Photo by Anton Stepanishchev. "Vitebskiye Vesti".