Vitebsk intends to once again become the best city for business

Vitebsk intends to regain leadership in the republican competition "Best City (District) and Region for Business in Belarus", annually held by the Republican Confederation of Entrepreneurship. The leadership of the regional center is convinced that the development of small and medium-sized businesses and individual entrepreneurship is one of the most important criteria for the organic development of the city.

This was stated by Zinaida Koroleva, Deputy Chairperson of the City Executive Committee, at a press conference on November 17, dedicated to the regional center's participation in the Global Entrepreneurship Week. She noted with satisfaction that the influence of this sector of the economy on the city's development is growing, and in recent years there has been a trend towards an expansion of the service sector's share in the structure of business activities. As of November 1, Vitebsk has registered over 12.2 thousand small and medium-sized businesses, including almost 3.6 thousand legal entities. The northern capital concentrates about 37% of legal entities and 38.5% of individual entrepreneurs, their share in the city budget revenues is 16%. This sector employs about 58.8 thousand people, including over 2.1 thousand jobs created in the first 9 months of the current year. 43 subsidies totaling over 700 million rubles have been allocated for organizing entrepreneurial and craft activities.

The Council for the Development of Entrepreneurship, established under the City Executive Committee in 2003, dedicates its activities to creating favorable conditions for activating private initiative and forming a full partnership between business and government. City authorities actively cooperate with entities of the entrepreneurship support infrastructure.

"It is difficult for everyone today, and only by working together can we overcome difficulties and resolve contentious issues, of which there are still many, but the City Executive Committee is ready to meet constructive business initiatives halfway and support the implementation of interesting ideas and concepts," noted Zinaida Koroleva.

The authorities sometimes achieve good results, as evidenced by Vitebsk's recognition as the best regional center for business in the republican competition in 2012 and 2013. The task for the future is to maintain its position in this informal competition.

According to Nina Lukyanova, Executive Director of the Public Association "Association of Employers and Entrepreneurs," various events will be organized within the framework of the Global Entrepreneurship Week for different target groups. Both during the week and in daily activities, the association focuses on assisting the development of manufacturing entrepreneurship and popularizing business self-realization opportunities among youth.

Sergey Antonov, "Vitebskiye Vesti."